10. James Michael Tyler, the Gunther, was actually working as a barista at one coffee shop before he was cast on the show

Although he didn’t make an appearance until episode 33, Gunther (played by James Michael Tyler) soon became one of the most beloved side characters in ‘Friends.’ 

James Michael Tyler explained that his ability with an espresso machine was what got him the part, as he was a barista at The Bourgeois Pig in Hollywood at the time. Even after being cast on the show, Tyler remained working at the cafe for several years. 

In an interview with Digital Spy, James Michael Tyler talked about how he had a Master’s in fine arts, but knowing how to work a coffee machine got him into the acting world, which he described as a ‘happy accident.’ 

Sadly, James Michael Tyler passed away in 2021 after battling prostate cancer.