Jennifer Aniston paid tribute to James Michael Tyler, known best for playing Gunther on “Friends,” who died Sunday at the age of 59.
“Friends would not have been the same without you,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed #JamesMichaelTaylor 💔”
Tyler’s character Gunther was the manager of Central Perk, the coffee shop where Aniston’s iconic character Rachel Green worked for many seasons and the group of friends always hung out.
Aniston’s heartfelt caption on Sunday was paired with a scene from the final episode of “Friends” when Gunther finally told Rachel he loved her.
Tyler’s family confirmed the news to TODAY that the actor “passed away peacefully at home in Los Angeles on Sunday morning after losing his life toprostate cancer.”
“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 family told TODAY on Sunday. “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.”
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Other members of the “Friends” cast also took to social media to share their own memories and pay tribute to Tyler.
Courteney Cox, who played Monica Geller on the hit NBC show, honored Tyler on Sunday with an Instagram post as well.
“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,” she wrote. “Rest In peace James.”
Lisa Kudrow also shared her condolences.
“James Michael Tyler, we will miss you,” the actor, who portrayed Phoebe Buffay, wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for being there for us all.”
Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani on the series, shared a photo of Tyler and himself on the “Friends” set, along with a sweet and brief message.
“We had a lot of laughs buddy,” he wrote. “You will be missed. RIP my friend.”
David Schwimmer, the star who brought Ross Geller to life, expressed his gratitude for Tyler in a post he shared on Instagram, writing, “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.”
Tributes also came in from a variety of guest stars and recurring characters from the sitcom’s lengthy run, including Maggie Wheeler (Janice Litman-Goralnik) and Jane Sibbett (Carol Willick), who both celebrated Tyler’s life.
And “Friends” producer Kevin Bright tweeted about the man he called “an incredible person,” noting that Tyler “spent his final days helping others.”
James Michael Tyler Our Gunther passed away last night. He was an incredible person who spent his final days helping others. God bless you James, Gunther lives forever.
— Kevin Bright (@kbrightELA) October 24, 2021
And “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane released a touching statement of their own following the news of Tyler’s passing.
“James was a genuinely kind, sweet man,” they shared. “When he started as an extra on Friends, his unique spirit caught our eye and we knew we had to make him a character. He made Gunther’s unrequited love incredibly relatable. Our heart goes out to his wife, Jennifer Carno.”
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