Taylor Wily, the sumo wrestler-turned-Hawaii 5-0 actor, died Thursday, June 20, in line with native Hawaii TV outlet KITV. He was 56.
Though specifics relating to the demise — the place, and a trigger — weren’t instantly recognized, his passing was confirmed by Peter M. Lenkov, government producer of the 2010-20 Hawaii 5-0 reboot.
Initially posting an Instagram message saying merely, “I’m devastated. Heartbroken. I’ll put up some detailed emotions later. Simply too laborious proper now,” Lenkov adopted up with a lengthier put up, addressing Wily instantly:
“T, as I advised you a lot occasions, I fell in love with you on the first audition. You got here in with a towel in your head mopping up sweat, and I used to be smitten. You charmed me into making you an everyday… on the present… and in my life. You have been household. And I’ll miss you day by day, brother.
“PS: after we spoke final week, we laughed at how proper you have been from Day 1. 5-0 was our dream job. And I used to be so fortunate we obtained to share that magic collectively.”
Born Teila Tuli on June 14, 1968, Wily was from from Laie, Hawaii and was of American Samoan descent. Previous to changing into an actor, he was a profitable and fashionable sumo wrester and combined martial artist. After leaving sumo, Wily started competing in Final Preventing Champships, competing as Teila Tuli in his first UFC bout in November 1993.
His first notable performing function in a significant movie got here within the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall in 2008 through which he performed a resort employee who befriends Jason Segel’s most important character Peter Bretter. Two years later, he was solid in a recurring function on Hawaii 5-0 as informant Kamekona, a personality he would play for the following ten years on the present.
He performed the identical character in seven episodes of Magnum P.I. from 2018 to 2020.
Wily is survived by spouse Halona and their two youngsters.
DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO: