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Tag: James Michael Tyler

  • ‘Friends’ stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox pay tribute to late James Michael Tyler

    By ANI

    LOS ANGELES: The untimely demise of actor James Michael Tyler has left his ‘Friends’ co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox in grief.

    Taking to Instagram, Jennifer penned a heartfelt tribute for Tyler, who breathed his last on Sunday.

    She wrote, “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.”

    Alongside the note, Jennifer took a stroll down memory lane and posted a video clip featuring one of her scenes with Tyler. For the unversed, Tyler played the role of a waiter and manager in the show’s coffee house, Central Perk.

    Courteney, too, penned an emotional note on her Instagram account.

    “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,” she grieved.

    Tyler’s demise has also left Matt LeBlanc saddened.

    “We had a lot of laughs buddy. You will be missed. RIP my friend,” he wrote.

    Warner Bros. Television, which produced the hit series, mourned the death of Tyler, “a beloved actor and integral part of our ‘Friends’ family.”

    Tyler had been battling prostate cancer since 2018. (ANI)

  • Actor James Michael Tyler who played Gunther on ‘Friends’ passes away at 59

    By AFP

    LOS ANGELES: Actor James Michael Tyler who played coffee shop manager Gunther on the hit sitcom “Friends” died Sunday at age 59, US media reported.

    Tyler died at his home in Los Angeles after battling prostate cancer that he was first diagnosed with in 2018, according to a representative.

    “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,” representative Toni Benson said in a statement to US media.

    His “Friends” character appeared in some 150 episodes across all 10 seasons of the beloved 1990s sitcom, sarcastically managing Central Perk — the cafe where the other characters hung out — and pining after Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston.

    “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,” Benson said.

    Tyler appeared in a number of other roles in series such as “Scrubs,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “Modern Music.”

    Warner Bros TV tweeted that it was mourning the loss of “a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and fans.”

    Tyler announced on NBC’s “Today” show in June that he had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in September 2018, which had spread to his bones. The cancer was discovered during a routine physical.

  • ‘Friends’ actor James Michael Tyler who played ‘Gunther’ reveals cancer diagnosis

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Actor James Michael Tyler, who played Central Perk waiter Gunther on the hit sitcom “Friends”, said he has stage four prostate cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

    The 59-year-old actor revealed he was diagnosed with the disease in September 2018 after a routine check-up.

    “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’,” Tyler said in an interview with NBC’s Today show.

    After he missed a test during the pandemic, the cancer spread to his bones and he can no longer walk.

    “Late stage cancer,” he told host Craig Melvin.

    “Eventually, you know, it’s gonna probably get me,” the actor added.

    Tyler, who made a brief appearance on the “Friends” reunion special last month via Zoom, said he chose not to reveal his diagnosis during the event but was “happy to be included” in all the festivities.

    “It was bittersweet, honestly. 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 said.

    The actor also said the cast and crew knew about his diagnosis.

    “David Schwimmer (who played Ross Geller on the show) has corresponded with me via Instagram. The producers are aware, they’ve been aware for a long time,” he said.

    Tyler also urged men to get tested early to be able to battle the disease through an early diagnosis.

    “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,” he added.