Hawaii Five-0 actor and UFC fighter Taylor Wily dies at 56 as family honors late star
HAWAII Five-0 and Forgetting Sarah Marshall actor Taylor Wily has died at 56.
The UFC fighter – who played Kamekona Tupuola on Hawaii Five-O – passed away on Thursday.
Taylor’s sister Alyssa shared a video of her and their family paying tribute to the Hawaiian actor at a gathering on Thursday.
She captured the family sitting outside playing ball games and board games, while others ate and cooked inside.
“Mourning and celebrating our favorite brother and uncle the way he would want us to,” she captioned the clip on Facebook.
“Family, Food, Music and Good Vibes. Aurrrrrrighhhhh (in his voice).”
Alyssa also shared a clip of Taylor’s nephews and nieces singing Bob Marley’s song Three Little Birds (Don’t Worry About A Thing) in honor of the actor.
“Singing for their uncle tee,” she wrote alongside the post.
Alyssa changed her Facebook profile picture to an image of Taylor smiling and captioned it with a brown emoji.
Taylor’s cause of death has not been revealed.
The actor – who was born on June 14, 1968, in Laie, Hawaii – got his first acting gig in 2004 when he starred in the TV show North Shore.
He shot to fame playing Kamekona on all 10 seasons of Hawaii Five-0.
His character was an informant for the police and operated several businesses, including a shrimp food truck, helicopter tours company, and Wailoa Shaved Ice.
The CBS police drama aired in 2010 and came to an end in 2020.
Taylor – whose real name was Teila Tuli – also played his character Kamekona in the related series, Magnum P.I.
Prior to that, he appeared in the 2008 romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which starred Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Paul Rudd.
Taylor also featured in the short movie, Gut Instinct.
Taylor Wily's acting roles
TAYLOR Wily got his big break in Hollywood in the '90s and has appeared in several dramas and movies.
- 1996 – One West Waikaki, Joseph Kalama
- 2004 – North Shore, bartender
- 2008 – Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Kemo
- 2010 – 2020 – Hawaii Five-0, Kamekona Tupuola
- 2017 – MacGyver, Kamekona Tupuola
- 2018 – 2020 – Magum P.I., Kamekona Tupuola
He was married to Halona Wily and they have two children – daughter TulaLagalaga Tatalo and son YoungAsia.
Taylor was also a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist.
He competed in the first-ever Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993 against Gerard Gordeau.
He had his tooth knocked out when Gerard kicked him in the jaw.
Taylor previously revealed he had no regrets about taking part in the dangerous sport.
“There was a different feeling when you walked through that octagon,” he told The New York Post in 2018.
“I was scared. I ain’t lying, I was scared. Now when I look back on it, now that I’m more mature, I’m just grateful to God to just have the opportunity to risk it.”