Summary
Hawaii Five-0star Taylor Wily has passed away. Wily, who made his first appearance on TV playing an extra in the original crime drama seriesMagnum, P.I, was most famous for starring alongside such names as Alex O’Loughlin, Masi Oka, Lauren German, Scott Cann, and Grace Park in the long-running CBS police procedural dramaHawaii Five-0. He appeared in all 10 seasons of the show, playing the role of Kamekona Tupuola, an informant and an entrepreneur.
Now, according toThe Hollywood Reporter,Wily recently passed away at the age of 56. The news was confirmed by the executive producer of theHawaii Five-0reboot,Peter M. Lenkov, who took to Instagram with the post below to share a heartfelt note about the sad passing of his friend. He is survived by his wife Halona and two children.
Lenkov reminisces about Wily’s first audition for his role onHawaii Five-0, stating that he charmed him into making him a regular on the show and also in his life. He also shared bits of their last conversation together, adding that they both got to live their dream jobs together.
Taylor Wily Enjoyed A Diverse Career
Even though Wily is most famous for his work on screen, especially his role as one of thecast members of theHawaii Five-0team, the actor, who was of Samoan descent, started off his career as a sumo wrestler. As a teenager, Wily was recruited into the Azumazeki stable of sumo, fighting under the pseudonym Takamishū Daikichi. He enjoyed a successful two-year career in sumo wrestling, winning two tournament championships. However,Wily had to quit sumo after he began to develop knee issues.
After his stint as a sumo wrestler, Wily decided to pick up a career as a mixed-martial artist. He joined the Dragon Bombers, a stable owned by six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami. There, he underwent several rigorous training sessions that prepared him for the first televised UFC match in history. HisUFC career was, however, short-lived after his first fight resulted in a serious eye problemwhich lasted for years and a couple of missing teeth.
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Following his sumo wrestling and mixed martial arts career, Wily decided to focus on his acting career and there he found the most success. After a couple of bit part roles inNorth Shoreand Nicholas Stoller’sForgetting Sarah Marshall, Wily landed a role inHawaii Five-0, the most prominent of his career. He went on to reprise that role inMacGyverand in the just concludedMagnum P.I.reboot, showing just how well-loved and charismatic of a figure he was on screen.
Hawaii Five-0
Cast
A modern imagining of the classic series that was released during the 1960s, Hawaii Five-0 is an action series that follows a special task force that handles various crimes in Hawaii. Acting outside their normal jurisdiction and given free rein across the state from the Governor himself, the twosome of Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams deal with terrorist plots, kidnappings, and other serious crimes.
