'FRIENDS' stars pay tribute to James Michael Tyler aka 'Gunther' on his demise

Tributes continue to pour in for actor James Michael Tyler, known for his portrayal of the character Gunther in the popular sitcom Friends, who passed away at the age of 59 on October 24. Reacting to Tyler's sad demise, the protagonists on the show shared how much he will be missed.

The actors shared Tyler's pictures and moments from the show to recall their memories with him, which included 'laughs' and the 'gratitude' he brought to the Friends' set every day.

Friends stars pay tribute to James Michael Tyler

In the popular sitcom, James Michael Tyler played the role of the manager of the Central Perk Coffee House where the six protagonists-- Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe-- would sit and relax. The highlight of his portrayal would be his helplessness at the inefficiency of Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) as a waitress, though he had feelings for her. 

Aniston paid a tribute to the late actor by sharing a scene in which Gunther confesses to her that he had feelings for her, when she is about to leave, as other characters stare in surprise. In the scene, Gunther wanted to share his thoughts, while being unsure if she would change her mind on leaving. Rachel replies "I love you too," though she clarified that it was "not in the same way."

Aniston wrote that Friends would not be the same without him. She thanked him for the laughter he brought to the sets and to their lives. 

Monica (Courteney Cox) wrote that the gratitude he brought into the room every day was equivalent to the gratitude she held to have known him.

Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) thanked him for being there with them all. "James Michael Tyler, we will miss you. Thank you for being there for us all," she wrote in a post on Instagram. 

Joey (Matt DeBlanc) recalled the 'laughs' with his 'buddy' and wrote, "You will be missed. RIP my friend."

Tyler breathed his last on Sunday morning at his residence in Los Angeles, according to a statement by his manager. He was battling prostate cancer since 2018 and the illness had spread to his other bones. He is survived by his wife Jennifer Carno.

Apart from appearing in 150 episodes of the show, and the latest Friends Reunion Episode, held 17 years after the end of the 10-season show in 2004, Tyler also featured in movies like Motel Blue and shows like Just Shoot Me, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Scrubs.