Taylor Wily dies at 56 as tributes pour in for Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum PI star

21 June 2024 , 13:03

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Taylor Wily has died aged 56

Actor Taylor Wily has died at the age of 56.

The Hawaii Five-0 star and former wrestling star's death was reported by KITV News. He was best known for his role as Kamekona Tupuola in crime dramas Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. Fans will also remember him for his brilliant performance on comedy movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Taylor's cause of death is not yet known.

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Taylor Wily was well known for his superb acting (Getty Images)

Following the sad news, fans and friends were quick to pay tribute to the star online. Among those sharing messages of condolence was former co-star Peter M. Lenkov.

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Taking to Instagram, the actor, who starred on both Magnum P.I and Hawaii Five-0, described him as a "gentle giant" and said: "I am devastated. Heartbroken. I’ll post some detailed feelings later. Just too hard right now."

Taylor's sister Alyssa also shared a video of her and their family paying tribute to the Hawaiian actor as they gathered on Thursday. In it, she showed the family playing ball games and board games.

She captioned the upload: "Mourning and celebrating our favorite 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 as Kamekona (CBS via Getty Images)

A fan page for Magnum P.I also took to Twitter /X to share their sorrow. Alongside an image of Taylor from the series, they wrote: "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Taylor Wily, the cherished actor who portrayed Kamekona on #MagnumPI and #HawaiiFive0. His warmth and humor left an indelible mark on our screens and in our hearts.

"Our condolences go out to his loved ones. Aloha, Taylor."

Other credits on Taylor's resume included MacGyver, One West Waikiki and North Shore. He also had a stint in UFC, making his fighting debut in 1993. However, he didn't keep up the sport for long and retired shortly after his first bout against Dutch kickboxer and MMA pro Gerard Gordeau.

Taylor is survived by his wife Halona and their two kids.

Jamie Roberts