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Hawaii Five-Star Taylor Wily, 56, passes away

Hawaii Five-Star Taylor Wily, 56, passes away


At the age of 56, actor Taylor Wily, who played in the detective thriller Hawaii Five-0, passed away.


His entertainment lawyer informed CBS News, the BBC's US partner, of his passing. No reason for the death was stated. His agents have been contacted by the BBC to provide a statement.


The Hawaiian actor appeared on Hawaii Five-0 on a regular basis as Kamekona Tupuola, a character he later played in Magnum P.I.


Many have paid tribute, including executive producer of both programs Peter Lenkov.


"I'm inconsolable. Brokenhearted. In a few days, I'll share some in-depth feelings. Just too difficult at the moment," he said on Instagram with a photo of Wily and himself.

He claimed in a later post that he "fell in love" with Wily right away at the initial audition.

"When you entered the room and used a towel to wipe away perspiration, I fell in love. You won me over and made you a regular on the program and in my life with your charisma," he added.

"You were related to me. And every day, brother, I shall miss you."


He said that the two had spoken the previous week and had chuckled at how appropriate Wily had been for the part.


"We had our ideal job at Five-0. And it was such a blessing that we could experience that enchantment together."

Wily was a sumo wrestler before retiring from the sport in the late 1980s due to several knee problems. After competing in the UFC, he moved on to work in television and movies.


After serving as Hawaii Five-0's confidential informant Kamekona from 2010 to 2020, he made appearances in seven Magnum P.I. episodes.


His other credits includes a part in the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall, starring Mila Kunis and Jason Segel.


Hawaii Five-0, however, continues to be Wily's favorite role.


"You get to play Hollywood but be right here in Hawaii, it's the best job in the world," he said. "Host."

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