Hawaii Five-0 actor and UFC fighter Taylor Wily dies at 56 as family honors late star

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.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Hawaii Five-0 actor Taylor Wily has died at 56
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Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Hawaii Five-0 actor Taylor Wily has died at 56Credit: Getty
He played Kamekona Tupuola on Hawaii Five-O for 10 seasons
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He played Kamekona Tupuola on Hawaii Five-O for 10 seasonsCredit: CBS
He was also a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist (pictured in 1993)
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He was also a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist (pictured in 1993)Credit: Getty

Taylor's sister Alyssa shared a video of her and their family paying tribute to the Hawaiian actor at a gathering on Thursday.

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

"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)."

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

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

Alyssa changed her Facebook profile picture to an image of Taylor smiling and captioned it with a brown emoji.

Taylor - who was 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 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 CBS police drama aired in 2010 and came to an end in 2020.

Taylor - who was also known as Teila Tuli - also played his character Kamekona in the related series, Magnum P.I.

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

Taylor also starred in the short movie, Gut Instinct.

He was married to Halona Wily and had two kids.

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 Gerard kicked him in the jaw.

Taylor previously revealed he had no regrets about taking part 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."

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Taylor's family paid tribute to him at a gathering on Thursday
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Taylor's family paid tribute to him at a gathering on ThursdayCredit: Facebook/Alyssa Wily Tonga