James Michael Tyler, who brought fan favorite FRIENDS character Gunther to life, has sadly passed away.
His manager confirmed the sad news to Variety on Sunday (October 24):
“Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate and loving husband. Michael loved live music, cheering on his Clemson Tigers and would often find himself in fun and unplanned adventures. If you met him once, you made a friend for life.”
He was 59 years old.
The actor revealed his battle with cancer just months before, after the Friends Reunion Special aired. He was unable to attend, which was his decision:
“I wanted to be a part of that, and initially I was going to be on the stage, at least, with them, and be able to take part in all the festivities. It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically, because I didn’t wanna bring a downer on it, you know? I didn’t want to be like, ‘Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer.’”
He shared that being part of the reunion still, in some way, “was bittersweet, honestly. I was very happy to be included.”
Shortly following the airing of the Friends Reunion Special, he shared his diagnosis to the public:
“I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to my bones. I’ve been dealing with that diagnosis for almost the past three years. … It’s stage 4 (now). Late stage cancer. So eventually, you know, it’s gonna probably get me.
I was 56 years old at the time, and they screen for PSA, which is prostate-specific antigen. That came back at an extraordinarily high number … So I knew immediately when I went online and I saw the results of my blood test and blood work that there was obviously something quite wrong there. Nearly immediately, my doctor called me and said ‘Hey, I need you to come in tomorrow because I suspect that you may have quite a serious problem with your prostate.’”
He went on to reveal that the cancer unfortunately spread to his bones around the start of the pandemic, which led to the lower half of his body being paralyzed:
“I missed going in for a test, which was not a good thing. So the cancer decided to mutate at the time of the pandemic, and so it’s progressed.
There are other options available to men if they catch it before me. Next time you go in for just a basic exam or your yearly checkup, please ask your doctor for a PSA test. It’s easily detectable. … If it spreads beyond the prostate to the bones, which is most prevalent in my form, it can be a lot more difficult to deal with.”
James played Gunther on FRIENDS all throughout the show’s successful ten-year run. His portrayal endeared him to fans all over the world.
His FRIENDS family paid tribute to him through heartfelt statements —
Marta Kauffman and David Crane, FRIENDS co-creators:
“James was a genuinely kind, sweet man. When he started as an extra in Friends, his unique spirit caught our eye and we knew we have to make him a character. He made Gunther’s unrequited love incredibly relatable. Our heart goes out to his wife, Jennifer Carno.”
FRIENDS official Twitter account:
“Warner Bros. Television mourns the loss of James Michael Tyler, a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and fans.”
Lisa Kudrow:
“James Michael Tyler, we will miss you. Thank you for being there for us all.”
Matt LeBlanc:
“We had a lot of laughs, buddy. You will be missed. RIP my friend.”
David Schwimmer:
“James, thank you for playing such a wonderful, unforgettable role in Friends and for being such a big hearted gentleman and all around mensch off screen. You will be missed, buddy.”
Courtney Cox:
“The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of the gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest in peace James.”
Matthew Perry:
“We lost a good Friend yesterday in James Michael Tyler. Gunther, you will be missed. Rest in peace.”
Jennifer Aniston:
“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.”
James Michael Tyler is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno.
Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and loved ones.
