The Best Stories James Michael Tyler Has Shared About Playing Gunther On 'Friends'
Arguably one of the biggest and most successful sitcoms of all time, Friends has been widely praised and adored by fans from all over the globe since its release way back in 1994. 28 years later and the series is still as iconic as it was back then. Despite the cast having moved on with their respective careers, many will still recognize them as the iconic group of six who hang out at their favorite local coffee shop.
Based on the interactions that the cast has with each other these days, it's clear to see not only how they have maintained their friendship over the years but how big of a bond they had created originally. Through their off-screen comradery and nostalgic tidbits, it's easy to see how the show’s success lied in its cast and their chemistry. One cast member in particular who was known to open up about his time on the show was the late James Michael Tyler. Michael Tyler portrayed the character of Gunther on the show, a quirky barista who was head over heels in love with Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston). Throughout the years, Michael Tyler shared his experiences on the show with fans through fun stories and interviews, and these are fondly remembered following his tragic passing back in 2021. Let’s take a look back at some of James Michael Tyler’s best tidbits from the set of Friends.
6 This Skill Was The Reason Why James Michael Tyler Got The Role
Anyone who has seen Friends will know about Michael Tyler’s character, Gunther, and his relationship to the characters. Despite him not being a part of the core group of 6, he is still a prominent character in the show. This is due to his constant background appearances making coffee in the group’s iconic hangout spot, The Central Perk coffee shop. What many might not know, however, is that the late actor’s coffee-making abilities were what had landed him the role in the first place. Michael Tyler himself opened up about this during an interview with Digital Spy in which he explained how he had felt about the bizarre situation.
He stated, “I honestly always thought my Masters in fine arts would get me further in the acting world than knowing how to work an espresso machine! That was a happy accident and I'm very, very grateful to have had that skill.”
5 James Michael Tyler Was Behind This Major Character Trait
When fans of the series think of the character of Gunther, the first thing they might associate him with is his peroxide bleach-blonde buzz cut. However, it may come as a surprise to many to find out that the hairstyle was not originally written to be part of Gunther’s character but instead was a choice made by James Michael Tyler himself when auditioning for the show. In the Digital Spy interview, Michael Tyler revealed that the night before his audition, he had let his aspiring hairstylist friend dye his hair for practice. He then described the situation as a “happy coincidence” as it resulted in a very “necessary” and iconic part of his character.
4 James Michael Tyler Kept This Adorable Souvenir From Set
Another iconic aspect of Gunther was not only his bright hair but also his bright and colorful clothing, more specifically his wacky ties! During an interview with Good Morning Britain, Michael Tyler surprised the hosts when he brought along one of the iconic ties that he had worn on set. Not only this, but the late actor explained that the tie had been the one he had worn in the episode where Gunther finally professes his feelings to Rachel. As he explained this, he also revealed that after finishing the series, he had gotten the cast and crew to sign the tie during the series’ wrap party.
3 This Was James Michael Tyler's All-Time Favorite Gunther Moment
Despite not being a main character or one with many lines at all, the few times that Gunther spoke up, were undeniably hilarious. Later in the interview, James Michael Tyler revealed that his all-time favorite line of Gunther’s had been during the show’s 13th episode of its 3rd season, “The One Where Monica And Richard Are Just Friends”. In the episode, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) finds herself a new boyfriend who has a certain clothing problem with his… lower half exposure. During a specific moment, the group, including said boyfriend, are having coffee at Central Perk when Gunther enters and says the iconic line, “Hey Buddy, this is a family place. Put the mouse back in the house.”
2 But James Michael Tyler Also Enjoyed Going Head To Head With This Character
Another of Michael Tyler’s all-time favorite Gunther moments was during a comedic Dutch confrontation with Ross (David Schwimmer). Whilst speaking to TODAY, Michael Tyler highlighted this as he mentioned, “If you see the episode, Gunther calls Ross kind of a bad word in Dutch and that made it on through the censors at that time and I'm surprised that it stayed in but I just love that scene.”
1 What The Cast Was Like Since The Show’s Pilot
Later on in the video, Michael Tyler shares a very heartwarming memory of what it had been like to work with the main cast since the series’ first ever episode. He highlighted how their chemistry on-screen was exactly the same chemistry that the cast had off-screen from the moment that they met.
He stated, "The best thing about working with the other actors on the show, the chemistry between them and the professionalism was almost indescribable. The first episode that I walked on, the first season, they seemed like they’ve known each other for years.”
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