James Michael Tyler, who was known to play the character of Gunther on the iconic American sitcom Friends, died at age 59, according to media reports citing the actor’s manager.

The actor, who was often seen in the famous on-screen cafe Central Perk on the show, died peacefully in his Los Angeles home, the manager said in a statement. Tyler was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in September 2018.

The statement read, “Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate and loving husband”, according to reports from Variety. 

Also Read: James Michael Tyler’s best Gunther moments from ‘Friends’

Tyler’s manager added, “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.”

‘Friends’ official Twitter account also acknowledged the importance of Tyler in the show and wrote in a post, “Warner Bros. Television mourns the loss of James Michael Tyler, a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and fans.”

Also Read: A walk down memory lane, ‘Friends: The Reunion’ will leave you teary-eyed

Often known as the “seventh friend”, Tyler made a virtual appearance at the ‘Friends Reunion‘ episode earlier this year. Known for crushing over Jennifer Aniston‘s character Rachel Green, Gunther was part of all 10 seasons of the show.

In addition to ‘Friends’, Tyler has been associated with multiple successful Hollywood projects, many of which stretch back to 1992. Tyler appeared in movies like ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’, ‘Modern Music’ and ‘Scrubs’.

Moreover, after being diagnosed with cancer about three years ago, Tyler continued to work on two short films — ‘Processing’ and ‘The Gesture and the Word’– while undergoing treatment.