LOS ANGELES — Taylor Wily, a former sumo wrestler who became known for his role as confidential informant Kamekona Tupuola on both \u201cHawaii Five-0\u201d and \u201cMagnum P.I,\u201d has died, his friend and a \u201cHawaii Five-0\u201d producer both said Friday. He was 56.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHawaii Five-0\u201d executive producer Peter M. Lenkov confirmed his death to The Associated Press and shared multiple tributes to the actor on Instagram<\/a>, writing \u201cI am devastated. Heartbroken\u201d in a caption of a photo of the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n KITV 4<\/a>, based in Honolulu, was the first to report Wily\u2019s death on Thursday. Additional details about the cause remain unknown. TV and radio personality Lina Girl Langi said on the show \u201cIsland Life Live\u201d that she announced the news \u201cwith a heavy heart,\u201d as Wily was a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lenkov, Wily’s longtime friend and collaborator, shared a second post later on Thursday with a video montage featuring photos and clips with Wily. He wrote, \u201cYou charmed me into making you a regular\u2026 on the show\u2026 and in my life. You were family. And I will miss you every day, brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an additional statement to the AP, Lenkov said it was hard to describe how \u201cspecial\u201d Wily was and lauded the actor for his skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDespite the fact that a lot of his \u2018Hawaii Five-0\u2019 and \u2018Magnum\u2019 scenes featured his comedy skills, he was an incredible dramatic actor, as well,” Lenvok said. \u201cI had developed a script a couple years back and wrote him a role and was hoping to put him in my next project. I just wanted to keep him close\u2026 not just as a friend, but as an artist. Devastated I won\u2019t get that opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wily played Kamekona on \u201cHawaii Five-0\u201d from 2010 through 2020 and became a fan-favorite. He continued in the same role with the reboot of \u201cMagnum P.I.\u201d and made a memorable appearance as a hotel worker in the 2008 comedy \u201cForgetting Sarah Marshall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before he began acting, Wily, born Teila Tuli, was a well-known sumo wrestler and UFC 1 fighter. He became the first knockout victim in UFC history<\/a> in 1993 when opponent Gerard Gordeau’s kick knocked a tooth clear out of Wily’s mouth, ending the fight after just 26 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wily is survived by his wife, Halona, and their two children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n