We've been taking an unofficial break from "Friends" since it went off the air in the mid-1990s. But now, in honor of HBO Max's long-awaited Friends reunion (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) - the first gathering of the beloved six-piece in 17 years on that iconic orange couch - Marie Claire celebrates, criticizes, and obsesses over the show that was always there for us They are.

6/21/21 Update: Almost a month after the HBO "Max Friends" reunion, James Michael Tyler shared his ongoing battle with cancer with fans.Speaking to Today, the actor was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2018 after a routine physical exam He revealed that he had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer during a routine physical in 2018. The cancer had metastasized to his bones by the time it was discovered.

"I was 56 at the time and they screened for PSA, which is prostate-specific antigen," Michael Tyler said in an interview per E. News (opens in new tab). "So when I went online and looked at the blood work and the blood test results, I knew right away that obviously something was quite wrong. Almost immediately, my doctor called me and said, 'I suspect you have a pretty serious problem with your prostate, and I want you to come in tomorrow.'" He now urges others to get regular checkups.

Early hormone treatment was successful, but during the pandemic his cancer mutated and he could no longer walk. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy. He said, "It's terminal cancer. So, eventually, maybe, I'll get beat up," he told TODAY.

Michael Tyler added that the producers of "Friends" are aware of his deteriorating health and that most of the cast is likely informed as well, noting in particular that David Schwimmer contacted him via Instagram.

Gunther, a supporting character who is both loving and acerbic, remains one of the most beloved figures in the Friends universe. James Michael Tyler, who played the Central Park barista, was the show's most frequent guest star. The gang was always at the coffee shop, and Gunther was always hanging around to catch a glimpse of his longtime crush, Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston). We know what has been going on with the main cast, who have all remained in the public eye to varying degrees, but what has happened to Gunther, say Michael Tyler, in the 17 years since Friends went off the air?

Until 2018, Michael Tyler was still an active actor. His income was supplemented by syndication income from Friends, but he continued to book roles." I was a gunslinger, I was buying an island," he said, "and I wasn't resting on my laurels. I couldn't do that anyway," he told the New Zealand Herald (opens in new tab) in 2019.

Michael Tyler is known primarily for his role in "Friends," but let's be honest, there is no one in this cast who isn't; according to his IMDb page, he shot two short films last year, and before that, in 2012, he played himself in "Episode" with Matt LeBlanc. He has a cameo in the film. He also appeared in five episodes of the show "Modern Music. During and after the broadcast of "Friends," he also appeared in "Scrubs," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," and "Just Shoot Me. He has also appeared in a music video by British musician Chicane (in the first minute, he plays a postman):

Michael Tyler has also appeared in Friends pop-ups and events: in 2009, he opened a Central Perk in London pop-up in London, and in 2014 he appeared at another pop-up in New York City's Soho neighborhood. He also lent his voice to the 2005 Friends-themed video game, "The One With All the Trivia."

Gunther was known for his bleached blonde hair, but Tyler reverted to his natural dark brown hair after the show ended. (He only dyed it back when he appeared on "Friends"). ) Here he is on The Today Show in 2019:

And here he is at FriendsFest in 2015:

In 2014, Michael Tyler filed for divorce from Barbara Chadsey, his wife of nearly 20 years, citing "irreconcilable differences."

"I never imagined that 25 years after it started I would still be sitting here talking about [it]," he told the New Zealand Herald. 'It was the 20th anniversary and the first Friendsfest in the U.K., and I retired Gunther.' So I retired Gunther. And then it was launched on Netflix and, of course, it gained a whole new audience of millennials and young people."

In 2019, he reflected on the origins of the Gunther character in an interview with E. "I remember my first day on set as a background actor. Gunter wasn't a role; for a year and a half I was just the coffee guy. A friend of mine was practicing to be a stylist, and it just happened to be the night before.

So Michael Tyler zoomed into the special that aired on HBO Max on May 27. He made a brief appearance along with the main cast and other beloved guest characters, including Jack and Judy Geller, Janice, and Dr. Richard Burke. 'Honestly, it was the most memorable decade of my life,' he said at the reunion. 'I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Everyone was wonderful and a pleasure to work with. It was a very special feeling."

He also said that he was "very happy to be here.

In 2009, when asked what he thought Gunther would be doing in modern times, Tyler replied: "He would probably be running around in a very traditional marriage, with lots of gray babies and hair brighter than the sun."