Hawaii Five-0 actor Taylor Wily dead at 56

An American UFC fighter turned actor who starred in Hawaii Five-0 passed away on Thursday, his family has announced.

Hawaii Five-0 and Forgetting Sarah Marshall actor Taylor Wily has died at 56.

The UFC fighter – who played Kamekona Tupuola on Hawaii Five-O – passed away on Thursday, US time.

Wily’s sister Alyssa shared a video of her and their family paying tribute to the Hawaiian actor at a gathering on Thursday, The US Sun reported.

She captured the family sitting outside playing ball games and board games, while others ate and cooked inside.

“Mourning and celebrating our favourite brother and uncle the way he would want us to,” she captioned the clip on Facebook.

“Family, Food, Music and Good Vibes. Aurrrrrrighhhhh (in his voice).”

Taylor Wily has died at 56. Picture: Instagram/Taylor Wily.

Alyssa also shared a clip of Wily’s nephews and nieces singing Bob Marley’s song Three Little Birds (Don’t Worry About A Thing) in honour of the actor.

“Singing for their uncle tee,” she wrote alongside the post.

Alyssa changed her Facebook profile picture to an image of Wily smiling.

Wily’s cause of death has not been revealed.

The actor, born on June 14, 1968, in Laie, Hawaii, got his first acting gig in 2004 when he starred in the TV show North Shore.

He shot to fame playing Kamekona on all 10 seasons ofthe reboot of Hawaii Five-0.

His character was an informant for the police and operated several businesses, including a shrimp food truck, helicopter tours company, and Wailoa Shaved Ice.

The police drama aired in 2010 and ended in 2020.

Wiley – whose real name was Teila Tuli – also played his character Kamekona in the related series, Magnum P.I.

Before that, he appeared in the 2008 romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which starred Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Paul Rudd.

Wily is also featured in the short movie Gut Instinct.

He was married to Halona Wily and they had two children – daughter TulaLagalaga Tatalo and son YoungAsia.

Taylor Wily was a UFC fighter prior to his acting career. Picture: Instagram/Taylor Wily.

Taylor was also a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist.

He competed in the first-ever Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993 against Gerard Gordeau.

He had his tooth knocked out when Gordeau kicked him in the jaw.

Wily previously revealed he had no regrets about participating in the dangerous sport.

“There was a different feeling when you walked through that octagon,” he told The New York Post in 2018.

“I was scared. I ain’t lying, I was scared. Now when I look back on it, now that I’m more mature, I’m just grateful to God to just have the opportunity to risk it.”

This story appeared in The US Sun and is reproduced with permission.