Taylor Wily, Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum PI alum, dead at 56

Some tragic news has come out today related to the greater Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum PI communities. Actor Taylor Wily, best known as Kamekona on the two shows, has passed away at 56.

In a post on Instagram, Five-0 executive producer Peter M. Lenkov confirmed the news with the following message:

“T, as I told you many times, I fell in love with you at the first audition. 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.

“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’s character across these shows was a likable food vendor but also a friend to a number of characters. He had a charm that made him impossible to ignore and over time, we got a chance to learn more of his backstory. He brought a vibe to the Hawaii TV universe that was much needed, and often was a source of comic relief in shows that were at times action-packed or intense. (In addition to these shows, he also turned in a brief appearance on MacGyver, which was also a part of the same universe.) In total, he was credited with almost 180 appearances as a character, enough to push him firmly into “icon” status.

While you may know Wily from the TV world as Kamekona, you can argue that his first real breakout role was in the Hawaii-set comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where he generated a number of laughs in a relatively small out of screen time. There are few other details known about his passing as of this time.

We hope that everyone who loves these shows remembers Wily fondly for his enthusiasm, big personality, and love of his local community. Our thoughts and condolences go out to everyone who loved him during this difficult time.