Wily, who was up in Honolulu, Hawaii, started out as a professional sumo and mixed martial arts fighter before opting to get into acting.
Taylor Wily, who was most renowned for his roles on Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., died at the age of 56.
The news of Wily’s passing was announced on Thursday, June 20, on her lifestyle program Island Life Live. Wily and his family were good friends with Hawaiian artist and celebrity Lina Girl Langi.
“I share the news of the passing of a Hawaii celebrity who was also a family friend with a heavy heart,” Langi said on the program. “Today in Hurricane, Utah, actor, mixed martial arts fighter, and former wrestler Taylor Wily passed away.”
Her co-host, Davey D, described Wily as one of the “kindest” and “gentlest souls.”
Willy’s cause of death was not disclosed by Langi. She did point out that the actor was not menacing in real life, even though he had an intimidating build.
“He would look physically menacing until you just folded into an embrace, and that was that,” the woman claimed. “My heart is broken,”
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968, Wily started his career as a sumo wrestler under the moniker “Takamishu,” according to his IMDb page. According to TV Insider, he emerged victorious in his first fourteen matches and went on to become the first non-American wrestler to capture the title in the third-tier Makushita division.
He then took part in the first-ever Ultimate Fighting Championship event in 2000, where he was defeated by fellow fighter Gerard Gordeau, becoming the first fighter to lose in a UFC scrap.
In the end, Wily turned to acting, beginning in the 1980s and early 2000s with bit roles in TV shows including North Shore, One West, and the first Magnum P.I.
Following that, he acted in the films Radical and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He was also cast as a series regular on Hawaii Five-0, where he played Kamekona. He appeared in 171 episodes total during the 2010–2020 season of the show. He also reprised the same role in the Magnum P.I. revival.
Many of Wily’s friends and supporters expressed their sympathies to his wife Halona Wily and the rest of his family on social media. The celebrity was also honored on Instagram by Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0 executive producer Peter Lenkov, who shared a photo of the two of them together on set.
“I can’t get over it. Heartbroken. I will share some deep emotions in the next days. Simply too challenging right now,” he wrote.
Former Hawaii news reporter Angela Keen posted on Facebook that Wily had visited children at Shriners Children’s Hawaii Hospital on a regular basis and was always “accessible and personable.”
“You were the epitome of a gentle giant,” she said. “I can’t believe you’re gone, Taylor Wily.”
Dennis Chun, who played Sgt. Duke Lukela in the Hawaii Five-0 reboot, posted a photo of the two and said, “Laura and I are heart broken to learn of Taylor Wily’s passing.” Not only was he a talented artist, but he was also a gigantic man.
“His aloha and heart made being in a scene with him always such a joy,” he went on. Being friends and coworkers with him was an honor. Taylor, go to bed. Hawaii and I are crying now. Aloha, Taylor. Until we cross paths again.
