Taylor Wily, best known for his roles in Hawaii Five-0 and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, has passed away at the age of 56. The news was confirmed by Hawaii Five-0 executive producer Peter M. Lenkov in heartfelt Instagram posts on Thursday, June 20.
In one of the captions, Peter reminisced about the first time he met Taylor at an audition, where he was charmed by Taylor’s presence and eventually cast him as a regular on the show. Peter expressed his deep sadness at the loss and shared that he had spoken to Taylor just a week before his passing. The producer described working on Hawaii Five-0 as a dream job that they were fortunate to share together.
Peter also shared a photo of himself with Taylor on the set of the show, expressing his devastation and heartbreak over the news. He mentioned that he would share more detailed feelings later, as it was too difficult to process at the moment.
Taylor appeared in a total of 171 episodes of Hawaii Five-0 as the character Kamekona Tupuola and also made appearances in MacGyver and Magnum P.I. He initially began his acting career with a role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall as a hotel worker.
Before his acting career, Taylor had a background in sumo, UFC, and MMA matches, showcasing his diverse talents and interests. He is survived by his wife, Halona, and their two children, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances and contributions to the entertainment industry.
Taylor Wily’s passing has left a significant impact on his colleagues, friends, and fans, as they remember his talent, warmth, and dedication to his craft. He will be dearly missed, but his work and spirit will continue to live on through the many lives he touched during his career.