Taylor Wily, the UFC fighter-turned-character-actor who appeared in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and the CBS reboot of “Hawaii Five-O,” has died, according to a local TV station in Hawaii. He was 56.
Wily’s death was first reported by KITV 4 Island News; a cause was not given. Wily, whose given name was Teila Tuli, appeared on the network drama for 171 episodes as Kamekona, a trusted informant who also appeared seven times on “Magnum P.I.”
Peter Lenkov, executive producer of both shows, shared a photo of himself Friday along with Wily and the caption: “I am devastated. Heartbroken. I’ll post some detailed feeling in a few days. Just too hard right now.”
Wily, a former ranked sumo wrestler, competed in the very first bout held by the then-fledgling Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993. He lost to Gerard Gordeau, a fight that barely lasted into the first round; Gordeau, a French kickboxing expert, caught his oversized opponent with a punch in the mouth that knocked out several teeth as he advanced.
Wily never competed in mixed martial arts again, but instead pursued acting. He landed a role in the Hawaii-based comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” as a hotel worker who befriends the Jason Segel’s character.
