Wily, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, first made a name for himself as a sumo wrestler and MMA fighter before transitioning to the world of acting.
Taylor Wily, best known for his roles in Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., has passed away at the age of 56.
His death was announced by Hawaiian celebrity and musician Lina Girl Langi on her lifestyle show Island Life Live on Thursday, June 20.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of a Hawaii celebrity who was also a family friend,” Langi shared. “Taylor Wily, former wrestler, MMA fighter, and actor passed away today in Hurricane, Utah.”
Her co-host Davey D described Wily as one of the “kindest” and “gentlest souls.”
Langi did not confirm how Wily died. She noted that while his physical build might have been intimidating, he was anything but that in real life.
“He would look physically menacing until you just folded right into a hug, and that was it,” she shared. “My heart is breaking.”
Wily began his career in sumo wrestling under the name “Takamishu,” and according to his IMDb page, he won his first 14 matches. He was the first foreign-born wrestler to win the championship in the third-highest Makushita division.
In 2000, Wily competed in the first match held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he fought UFC fighter Gerard Gordeau and became the first fighter to lose a UFC bout.
Wily eventually moved on to acting, starting with background roles in shows like the original Magnum P.I., North Shore, and One West Waikiki in the 1980s and early 2000s.
He appeared in films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Radical before landing his most notable role as Kamekona on Hawaii Five-0, where he was featured in 171 episodes from 2010 to 2020. Wily also reprised this role in the Magnum P.I. reboot.
Friends and fans of Wily offered their condolences to his wife, Halona Wily, and the rest of his family. Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. executive producer Peter Lenkov paid tribute to him on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two on set with the message, “I am devastated. Heartbroken. I’ll post some detailed feelings later. Just too hard right now.”
Angela Keen, a former Hawaii news reporter, posted on Facebook about Wily often visiting patients at Shriners Children’s Hawaii Hospital. She noted his kindness and approachability in her post.
“You were the epitome of a gentile giant,” she wrote. “I can’t believe you are gone, Taylor Wily.”
Dennis Chun, who played Sgt. Duke Lukela on the Hawaii Five-0 reboot, shared a photo of the pair and wrote, “Laura and I are heart broken to learn of the passing of Taylor Wily. He was not just a great talent but he was a giant of man.”
“His aloha and heart always made sharing a scene with him such a joy,” he added. “It was an honor to not only work with him but also to call him friend. Rest well Taylor. Hawaii and I weep tonight. Aloha Taylor until we meet again.”
