He was the quiet, reserved, sometime plate-smashing waiter in Central Perk - but what's Gunther been up to since his Rachel-loving days?
Yes, James Michael Tyler, now 53, played blond-haired Central Perk barista Gunther in Friends for the show’s entire run. It was while he was working as an extra on the show in 1994 that James was offered the role, mainly because he was the only person on set able to use a coffee machine. ‘That was a happy accident and I’m very, very grateful to have had that skill,’ said James, who had to bleach his hair every week for 10 years! As well as silently hating Ross and any man who came near Rachel he was the man who longed for Jennifer Aniston‘s character to fall in love with him. So as his co-stars went on to the bright lights of Hollywood, what about Gunther?
What did he do next?
It wasn’t the last we saw of Gunther in 2009 he headed to the UK to
celebrate Friends’ 15th anniversary by opening a replica Central Perk in
London. For the show’s 20th birthday, James attended the opening of a
pop-up Central Perk in New York’s SoHo.
Any other TV work?
James played himself in former Friends co-star Matt LeBlanc‘s comedy
series Episodes in 2012. He’s also appeared in Sabrina The Teenage Witch and comedies Scrubs and Just Shoot Me!
So, um, he hasn’t done much on TV then?
No, but he did also star in the video for Chicane’s 2007 hit Come
Tomorrow, playing a cheery postman.
So what does he do?
Nowadays, James is still a jobbing actor who lives in Hollywood and enjoys practising the keyboard and writing music. He’s also a fitness fanatic and loves tennis, golf and jogging. Last year, James got divorced from his wife Barbara Chadsey, although the pair had already been separated for 10 years.
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