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Tributes have poured in for James Michael Tyler after it was announced that the 59-year-old Friends actor passed away on Sunday following a private three-year battle with prostate cancer. According to a statement from his manager, he passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles.

“The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh Friend)… but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband. If you met him once you made a friend for life,” read the statement.

“Wanting to help as many people as possible, he bravely shared his story and became a campaigner for those with a prostate to get a blood test as early as 40-years-old.”

The actor revealed his cancer diagnosis back in June, before telling fans that that was why he was missing from the highly anticipated Friends reunion the month before. He did appear briefly via a video link, although everyone would have loved to have seen him there in person!

“I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to my bones,” he told Today back in June. “I’ve been dealing with that diagnosis for almost the past three years.”

Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane also paid tribute to the actor, saying: “James was a genuinely kind, sweet man. When he started as an extra on Friends, his unique spirit caught our eye and we knew we had to make him a character. He made Gunther’s unrequited love incredibly relatable. Our heart goes out to his wife, Jennifer Carno.”

Jennifer Aniston was one of the many famous faces to take to social media to pay tribute to the late actor. “Friends would not have been the same without you,” she wrote as a caption to a post that featured video footage from the show and a picture of the actor.

“Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed,” she continued and added the hashtag #JamesMichaelTyler and a broken heart emoji.

“The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of the gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest In peace, James,” Courteney Cox wrote, while Lisa Kudrow wrote: “James Michael Tyler, we will miss you, Thank you for being there for us all.”

Matt LeBlanc shared a photo of his character Joey with James Michael Tyler’s character Gunther, and captioned it: “We had a lot of laughs buddy. You will be missed. RIP my friend.”

“James, thank you for playing such a wonderful, unforgettable role in Friends and for being such a big hearted gentleman and all around mensch off screen. You will be missed, buddy,” David Schwimmer wrote, alongside a picture of the actor on the set of the show.

RIP to the unofficial seventh friend – he will never be forgotten!