Beloved TV actor Taylor Wily has tragically died suddenly at just 56 years old.
Wily, whose real name was Teila Tuli, reportedly passed away unexpectedly on Thursday.
He is best known for playing the role of criminal informant Kamekona Tupuola on “Hawaii Five-0.”
According to TMZ, Wily appeared in an impressive 171 episodes of the hit TV show.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.
His cause of death has not been publicly released.
Wily’s death was first reported by an anchor for local Hawaii outlet KITV.
The station’s anchor spoke of Wily as being a dear family friend who is gone too soon.
The anchor shared family photos alongside Wily and spoke fondly of the star while reminiscing about the memories they shared.
Prominent television producer Peter M. Lenkov also confirmed the news of Wily’s death on social media.
Lenkov shared a behind-the-scenes photograph of Wily from the set of a television show and noted he was “heartbroken” about this sudden loss.
“I am devastated. Heartbroken,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I’ll post some detailed feelings later.
“Just too hard right now.”
Wily began his career as a sumo wrestler in the late 1980s.
He was hailed as one of the very few American’s to join the Japanese sport.
As a sumo wrestler, Wily compiled a 57-27-14 record over two years, before joining UFC 1.
He later went on to showcase his talents as an actor.
Wily began his acting career in the mid-2000s with his breakout role as Kemo in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”
Within just two years, he was signed on to “Hawaii 5-0” as his stardom and popularity quickly rose.
Wily went on to star in the hit TV shows “Macgyver” and “Magnum P.I.”
He had solidified himself as a talented actor in the entertainment scene.
Wily is survived by his wife Halona and their two children, according to TMZ.
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