Current:Home > FinanceTaylor Wily, 'Hawaii Five-0' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' actor, dies at 56 -InvestPioneer
Taylor Wily, 'Hawaii Five-0' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' actor, dies at 56
Ethermac Exchange View
Date:2025-04-08 04:01:05
Taylor Wily, a former sumo wrestler and UFC fighter who went on to portray entrepreneur and informant Kamekona for 10 seasons on the CBS revival of "Hawaii Five-0," has died.
He was 56.
His manager, Michael Henderson, confirmed to USA TODAY on Friday that Wily died Thursday, citing "natural causes."
Honolulu's KITV4 Island News was first to report on Wily's passing.
“Hawaii Five-0” showrunner Peter M. Lenkov paid tribute to Wily — born Teila Tuli — in an Instagram post Thursday.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
"I am devastated. Heartbroken. I’ll post some detailed feelings later. Just too hard right now," he captioned a photo of the two of them.
In a follow-up post featuring photos of the actor from throughout the years, Lenkov wrote, "T, as I told you many times, I fell in love with you at the first audition. You came in with a towel on your head mopping up sweat, and I was smitten. You charmed me into making you a regular… on the show… and in my life. You were family. And I will miss you every day, brother."
He added, "PS: when we spoke last week, we laughed at how right you were from Day 1. Five-0 was our dream job. And I was so lucky we got to share that magic together."
In his Instagram Stories, Lenkov revealed he "never got tired of watching (Wily), and he was an incredible actor."
Wily also made several crossover appearances as Kamekona on Seasons 1 and 2 of "Magnum P.I." per IMDB.
Wily's Kamekona — the task force's confidential informant and an entrepreneur who ran Waiola Shave Ice, Kamekona's Shrimp Truck and Kamekona's Helicopter Tours — made his debut in the "Hawaii Five-O" premiere in 2010. He remained in the role until the CBS series came to an end in 2020.
Wily was also featured in the 2008 rom-com "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and played hotel worker Kemo, who becomes a confidant to Peter Bretter, played by Jason Segel.
veryGood! (28)
Related
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Tiffany Haddish opens up about sobriety, celibacy five months after arrest on suspicion of DUI
- Firefighters fully contain southern New Jersey forest fire that burned hundreds of acres
- Alabama Coal Mine Keeps Digging Under A Rural Community After Hundreds of Fines and a Fatal Explosion. Residents Are Rattled
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- Biden just signed a bill that could ban TikTok. His campaign plans to stay on the app anyway
- 2 women killed by Elias Huizar were his ex-wife and 17-year-old he had baby with: Police
- Connecticut House votes to expand state’s paid sick leave requirement for all employers by 2027
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Christina Applegate Explains Why She’s Wearing Adult Diapers After Sapovirus Diagnosis
Ranking
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- US growth likely slowed last quarter but still pointed to a solid economy
- Alabama Coal Mine Keeps Digging Under A Rural Community After Hundreds of Fines and a Fatal Explosion. Residents Are Rattled
- Tesla Fell Behind, Then Leapt Ahead of ExxonMobil in Market Value This Week
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- The Daily Money: The best financial advisory firms
- US Chamber of Commerce sues Federal Trade Commission over new noncompete ban
- Groups urge Alabama to reverse course, join summer meal program for low-income kids
Recommendation
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
Christina Applegate Explains Why She’s Wearing Adult Diapers After Sapovirus Diagnosis
New airline rules will make it easier to get refunds for canceled flights. Here's what to know.
More cows are being tested and tracked for bird flu. Here’s what that means
FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
Bear cub pulled from tree for selfie 'doing very well,' no charges filed in case
Pairing of Oreo and Sour Patch Kids candies produces new sweet, tart cookies
Biden just signed a bill that could ban TikTok. His campaign plans to stay on the app anyway