The Curse of ‘Friends’: Former Actors Followed by Death and Suicide

The world was shocked by the news that actor, screenwriter, and director Stan Kirsch committed suicide on Saturday, January 11, at the age of 51.

Related: Stan Kirsch, Friends and Highlander Actor, Dies Aged 51

His wife Kristyn Green found the actor at a family home in Los Angeles, and an ambulance only could declare death. Details of suicide are still unknown.

Stan played Ethan, Monica Geller’s boyfriend in the series Friends, and he’s not the only star in the popular series who lost his life under tragic circumstances.

Taylor Negron – Monica’s boss

Taylor first appears in Season 4, in Episode 9, as the angry chef Allesandro.

His restaurant was destroyed because of Monica, and when he went to confront her, she was offered a job as a chef. Then came the catering business of Monica and Phoebe, and Monica worked in the restaurant until the 9th season.

Taylor was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2008 and died in 2015 at the age of 57.

Paul Gleason – Phoebe’s superior

In the show, Phoebe worked for Paul, the boss who should have fired her after she had a heart attack. However, Phoebe soon experienced a second heart attack.

Paul died of lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure and came into contact with the material as a teenager when working on construction sites with his father.

Alaina Reed Hall – The admissions woman at the hospital

Alaina played the receptionist at the hospital in the first season of Friends. Terrifying and daring, she called Monica an idiot because she pretended to be Rachel after her health insurance expired.

She married Tamim Amini in 2008, and died of breast cancer just 12 months later, at the age of 63.

Robin Williams – A husband from Central Park

The late comedian appeared in the series alongside actor Billy Crystal. Their roles didn’t exist in the script, and they come to light when the writers saw famous actors in the building and asked if they wanted to appear in the series.

Tomas, who is interpreted by Robin, asks friends to move so he can sit with his friend Tim, played by Billy. Then Tim told them he was afraid his wife was unfaithful.

Robin took his own life in August 2014, at the age of 63, after battling anxiety and depression.

Alexis Arquette – waiter

Actor Alexis, whose brother David Arquette was married to Courteney Cox, Monica from Friends, has had several appearances in the series. She was a waiter in season 7.

Alexis was born as Robert and stopped declaring as a man shortly before her death on September 11, 2016. She died of cardiac arrest as a result of HIV.

Kellie Waymire – Phoebe’s friend

Kelly, an actress playing Phoebe’s pal Colin, who helped her send Monica and Chandler to the child adoption process, passed away suddenly at the age of 36.

She had a cardiac arrest in November 2003 as a result of an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia.

Read Also: Tony-Winning Actor and ‘Friends’ Star Ron Leibman Dies at 82

Her death is believed to be related to the prolapse of the mitral valve she was diagnosed with as a teenager. Otherwise, mitral valve prolapse is a disease of the heart valve, which has led to heart weakness.