- Actor and martial artist Taylor Wily died on June 20 at the age of 56.
- No official cause of death has been confirmed by time of writing.
- In addition to his mixed martial arts background, Wily was known as an actor who won over audiences in ‘Hawaii Five-0’ and ‘Magnum P.I.’
On June 20, Taylor Wily died suddenly at the age of 56. News of his passing was confirmed by a press release from Hawaii Five-0 executive producer Peter M. Lenkov, as well as the local Hawaiian news station KITV.
As an actor, Taylor a modest yet solid resume, with perhaps his most celebrated jobs including the Hawaii Five-0 reboot, as well as a recurring role on Magnum P.I. That same character who features in the former two also appears in MacGyver. Wily also sported an impressive and diverse mixed martial arts career.
Taylor Wily made an impression in the world of sports and television alike
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Wily made a name for himself as an athlete and an actor, endearing himself to audiences around the world with his charming charisma. His contributions to both sports and entertainment have made him a cherished figure in Hawaiian culture. All those who worked with him remember a spirited, positive force of nature.
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Indeed, executive producer Lenkov admitted to unspeakable grief upon learning of his death. “I am devastated. Heartbroken,” he posted on social media earlier today. “I’ll post some detailed feelings later. Just too hard right now.”
Strong foundations
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Lenkov made good on his vow to further celebrate Wily’s memory in a follow-up post. “T, as I told you many times, I fell in love with you at the first audition,” he penned next. “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.”
Wily was born as Teila Tuli on June 14, 1968, in Laie, Hawaii. After he was recruited by another Hawaiian to pursue martial arts in earnest, Wily also took up the sumo name Takamikuni, starting in 1993. He eventually reached 440 pounds, making one of the largest wrestlers in the known history of sumo.
Wily’s fight with French wrestling expert Gerard Gordeau was described at the time as one of the ultiamte David and Goliath bouts of the season.
