‘Friends’ Cast Pays Tribute to Late Costar James Michael Tyler, ‘You Will Be So Missed’
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Friends star James Michael Tyler passed away Sunday at his Los Angeles home following a long battle with stage 4 prostate cancer.
His Friends co-stars shared tributes to the actor, who played Gunther, on Instagram.
The 59-year-old announced his diagnosis in June and since advocated for earlier prostate cancer checks.
Best known for his role as Gunther in the TV show Friends, James Michael Tyler passed away Sunday after a long battle with prostate cancer, according to The New York Times. The 59-year-old was diagnosed with cancer in September 2018 and underwent three years of treatment.
Though Tyler was not one of the main six characters in the beloved TV show, his character Gunther appeared in 150 episodes and was well known for his crush on Jennifer Aniston’s character, Rachel, and his deadpan humor every time the Friends gang hung out at the Central Perk coffee shop.
His former co-stars shared heartfelt tributes to the late actor on Instagram following the announcement of his passing.
Actress Jennifer Aniston shared the famous clip from the Friends finale where Tyler’s character, Gunther, declares his love for Aniston's character, Rachel, in an iconic comedic moment. She captioned the photo, “Friends would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed #JamesMichaelTyler.”
Actress Courteney Cox shared a photo of Tyler to her Instagram account with the sweet message, “The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest in peace, James.”
Actor David Schwimmer, who played Ross on the show, shared the same photo with his own message of love for Tyler. “James, thank you for playing such a wonderful, unforgettable role in Friends and for being such a gentleman and all around mensch off screen,” Schwimmer captioned the photo. “You will be missed, buddy.”
The same image also appeared on actress Lisa Kudrow’s Instagram account, where the actress who played Phoebe wrote a heartfelt message to Tyler. “James Michael Tyler, we will miss you. Thank you for being there for us all.”
Finally, actor Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey, shared a still of himself and Tyler standing in the Central Perk coffee shop from an episode of Friends. He captioned the image, “We had a lot of laughs buddy. You will be missed. RIP my friend.”
Tyler was chosen for the role while working as a real-life barista, according to The New York Times. Over time, he took on a much larger role throughout the series .
In June 2021, Tyler revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis on Today. Unfortunately, the cancer was caught at a late stage and had already advanced to other parts of his body.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men, after skin cancer. In fact, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. It can be treated successfully if caught early.
“I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to my bones,” Tyler told Today. “I’ve been dealing with that diagnosis for almost the past three years...It’s stage four (now). Late-stage cancer. So eventually, you know, it’s gonna probably get me.”
The Friends star previously shared the importance of regular, routine prostate checks. In fact, Tyler shared that his cancer was first discovered during an annual checkup. After his diagnosis, Tyler underwent hormone therapy and a regimen of drugs to keep life as normal as possible. But after a missed appointment, he found out the cancer had mutated and spread to his spine. He proceeded to try chemotherapy and continued to advocate for men to get prostate checks regularly.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation recommends men talk to their doctor about screenings for the type of cancer by 45 years old, and as early as 40, if there is a history of prostate cancer in the family or you are African American.
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