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James Michael Tyler, Gunther on ‘Friends,’ dead after late-stage prostate cancer battle at 59

The New York Daily News - 10/24/2021

“Friends” alum James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on the iconic sitcom, has died of prostate cancer.

He was 59.

The actor revealed in June that he had stage 4 prostate cancer, saying at the time, “It’s gonna probably get me.” He’d been in treatment for three years at that point, he said.

Tyler’s Central Perk barista Gunther was madly – and unrequitedly – in love with Jennifer Aniston’s character, Rachel Green, throughout the series.

Tyler had been diagnosed in 2018 and received various treatments, he told “Today” in June, but a missed follow-up appointment during the pandemic had given the disease an opportunity to mutate and spread to his bones.

He became paraplegic and then went public to educate people and possibly save lives, he said.

Tyler appeared virtually on the “Friends” reunion earlier this year.

The actor died at home on Sunday morning, his rep told TMZ.

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