“Friends” alum James Michael Tyler has died following a battle with stage 4 prostate cancer. He was 59.
Tyler, who played Central Perk barista Gunther on the hit show, revealed his diagnosis for the first time in mid-June, about three years after his treatment began in 2018.
Tyler was best-known for playing Gunther on Friends, a barista in Central Perk. “The world knew him as Gunther, the seventh ‘Friend,’ from the hit series Friends, but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband,” his manager said.
He took part in the Friends reunion special that aired in May 2021, but appeared via Zoom because of his health issues. He did not publicly share his cancer diagnosis until a month later, when he explained in an interview with NBC’s Today show why he wasn’t able to attend the reunion in person.
Tyler spent the last few years of his life attempting to raise awareness for early screening for prostate cancer. He continued to perform throughout being treated for the disease, appearing in two short films and winning best-actor awards at multiple film festivals.
Tyler is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno.
