James Michael Tayler, the US actor who portrayed Gunther in Popular Tv sitcom Friends, died at the age of 59.
Since 2018, Tayler has been battling prostate cancer and took his last breath on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, confirming his manager.
His family said, ” the whole world knew him as seventh friend Gunther from hit Tv series friends, but his loved ones knew him as a musician, actor, loving husband, and cancer awareness advocate.”
He was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 but revealed to the public earlier this year.
On speaking about his diagnosis, Tayler told the Today show said, ” I was diagnosed with prostate cancer which has been spread to my bones. I have been dealing with this for almost three years. It’s on the 4th stage now. That’s the last stage of cancer. So, eventually, it’s going to get me.”
In the long-running tv series, Michael played Gunther, Rachel’s barista colleague. He revealed he missed an in-person reunion due to a diagnosis. He appeared at a friend’s reunion in may via Video call.
Tayler said,” I wanted to be there for the reunion; initially, I was going to be on stage with them and take part in all the festivities. I was happy to be included. However, later it was my decision not to physically take part and make an appearance via video calls; basically, I didn’t want to bring a downer on the show, you know? I didn’t want something like, oh, Gunther has cancer.”
He appeared on Friends for its ten years run from 1994 to 2004 in 150 episodes. He also starred in Just Shoot me, Scrubs, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
The official account of Friends on Twitter paid tribute to the actor with a picture and caption saying, ” warner bros television mourns the loss of James Michel Tayler, an amazing actor and integral part of our friend’s family. Out through are with family, friends, colleagues and fans .”
