Hawaii
Taylor Wily, 'Hawaii Five-0' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' actor, passes away at 56
Taylor Wily, who played a shrimp truck vendor and police informant on the television reboot of Hawaii Five-0 and who in his earlier years was an acclaimed professional sumo wrestler, died Thursday. He was 56.
Paul Almond, a legal representative for Wily, confirmed his death. The location and cause of his death were not immediately available.
Wily starred as Kamekona in more than 170 episodes of Hawaii Five-0, a re-imagining of the 1970s crime drama that followed the escapades of state police officers on the island. His character became a fan favorite, gradually morphing into the show’s resident entrepreneur, running a shaved-ice business and a helicopter tour company alongside his shrimp venture.
Hawaii Five-0 could become Kamekona Five-0, Masi Oka, who played Dr. Max Bergman on the series, said in a 2012 interview with CBS.
The series, which ran from 2010 to 2020, followed a fictional state police unit that seemed to routinely crave shrimp. Wily’s character was a warm and comedic presence onscreen that resonated with fans across the world as well as with residents in Hawaii.
Peter Lenkov, a producer of the series, said on social media that he was drawn to Wily from his first audition and that he was impressed enough with Wily to write in his character as a recurring role.
The energy that Wily brought to his performances, even in smaller roles, was infectious. As Kemo, a staff member of a hotel in Hawaii in the 2008 film “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” he provided support for Jason Segel’s character as he broke down and needed to regain his footing. His quiet humor brought levity to situations that involved heartbreak and loss.
Taylor Tuli Wily was born June 14, 1968, in Honolulu. Although he was known for his tender demeanor, he could be an intimidating physical presence, standing over 6 feet tall and weighing at times more than 400 pounds.
In 1987, a friend introduced him to sumo wrestling, on the promise that the friend wouldn’t tell Wily’s mother. Soon after, Wily competed in a tournament.
“I won a case of Spam and some rice, and that was it, I was into sumo,” Wily said in a 2016 interview with Sherdog, a YouTube channel dedicated to the UFC.
In the same interview, Wily discussed why he was billed as Teila Tuli for his UFC match. “They didn’t want me to come with such an English name,” he said. “So I took Taylor and spelled it the way we spell it here in Polynesia, Teila, and used my middle name, Tuli, and got rid of Wily.”
He added, smiling, that he hoped the admission wouldn’t send bill collectors his way.
For two years, he competed in Japan as a sumo wrestler under the name Takamishu. He won several championships, eventually reaching the makushita division — the third-highest in the league — and he became the first wrestler born outside Japan to win a title match.
He left the sport in 1989, citing knee injuries, and pivoted to mixed martial arts. Wily fought in the first UFC, in 1993, where he lost by a technical knockout.
He first appeared on television in a 1982 episode of “Magnum, P.I.,” and he made several guest appearances on shows that included “Marker” and “North Shore.”
His survivors include his wife, Halona, and two children.
In a 2014 interview with Hawaii News Now, Wily discussed his appreciation for his role on “Hawaii Five-0” and what the experience meant to him.
“It’s the best job in the world — you get to play Hollywood but be right here in Hawaii,” he said. “Home.”
Published 22 June 2024, 07:59 IST
The East Hawaii community is invited to join state Rep. Chris Todd for a town hall focused on a recap of the 2026 legislative session and important updates impacting Hawaii Island residents.
Todd represents House District 3 (portion of Hilo, Keaukaha, Orchidland Estates, Ainaloa, Hawaiian Acres, Fern Acres, portions of Kurtistown and Keaau).
Community members will have the opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and engage in discussions about legislative priorities and local issues.
The town hall is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, at the Keaukaha Elementary School Cafeteria, 240 Desha Ave. in Hilo
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Honolulu Fire Department is preparing to open recruitment for new firefighter recruits.
The application period for recruits will open June 2 and run through June 4.
HFD officials are encouraging people interested in public service, emergency response and teamwork to explore a career in the fire service.
Firefighters respond to emergencies across Oahu, including fires, rescues, hazardous materials incidents, crashes and medical calls.
Recruits will receive extensive training, including emergency medical response and search-and-rescue operations.
Interested applicants are encouraged to begin preparing now for the physical and mental demands of the profession.
For more information, visit fire.honolulu.gov.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Hawaii
Tourist accused of hurling rock at endangered Hawaiian monk seal was trying to protect sea turtles, lawyer says
The defense attorney for a tourist from Washington state accused of hurling a coconut-sized rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal says his client was trying to protect sea turtles and has since been physically assaulted, threatened and doxed.
Igor Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Honolulu Wednesday on charges of harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal.
Earlier this month, a witness recorded what prosecutors say was a video of him throwing the rock at a Hawaiian monk seal at a Maui beach. He later made arrangements to surrender in the Seattle area as special agents with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were seeking to arrest him, prosecutors said.
The video drew widespread condemnation and demands for prosecution in Hawaii, including from Maui’s mayor. Scientists identified the seal as an adult male known as “R404,” NOAA said.
According to prosecutors, a state Department of Land and Natural Resources officer investigated a report of Hawaiian monk seal harassment in Lahaina, the community that was largely destroyed by a deadly wildfire in 2023. A witness showed the officer video of the seal swimming in shallow water while a man watched from shore.
The video showed Lytvynchuk throwing the rock, directly at the seal, narrowly missing its head, prosecutors said in a criminal complaint.
Maui resident Kaylee Schnitzer, 18, told HawaiiNewsNow she witnessed the incident while taking photos nearby.
“What he was picking up was like a rock the size of a coconut,” Schnitzer said. “It wasn’t no small rock. It was the size of a coconut. And he threw it right, directly aiming towards the monk seal’s head.”
When a witness confronted Lytvynchuk, he said “he did not care and was ‘rich’ enough to pay any fines,” according to the complaint.
Afterward, a man “brutally assaulted” Lytvynchuk, his defense attorney Myles Breiner told The Associated Press. Lytvynchuk declined to file a police report on the assault, the attorney said.
Breiner explained his client had been to Hawaii previously and was familiar with sea turtles, but not Hawaiian monk seals. Lytvynchuk is a fisherman and thought the seal was an aggressive sea lion, the lawyer said.
“So his response was not to hurt this monk seal, but to get it away from the turtles,” Breiner said.
The incident shows NOAA must do more to educate the public about protecting Hawaiian monk seals, Hawaii’s U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat, said in a statement.
Since the video surfaced, Lytvynchuk has faced death threats and doxing, including receiving a package at his home containing what appeared to be feces, Breiner said.
He said his client is being treated unfairly because he’s a white outsider. “The vast majority of attacks on monk seal and turtle are by locals,” he said.
Lytvynchuk is charged with violations of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Hawaiian monk seals are a critically endangered species. Only 1,600 remain in the wild.
“The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity,” U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a statement. “We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular, endangered Hawaiian monk seals.”
If convicted, he faces up to one year in prison for each charge. He also faces a fine of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and a fine of up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
In 2016, a man was seen on video appearing to beat a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal in shallow water.
-
Wisconsin4 minutes agoWisconsin DOT announces revocation of licenses for wholesale dealers throughout the state
-
West Virginia10 minutes agoWest Virginia Scores Rehearing Over Drug Discount Injunction
-
Wyoming16 minutes agoOnce-bankrupt Wyoming pipeline could get a boost from massive Utah data center – WyoFile
-
Crypto22 minutes agoFBI Seizes Over $8 Billion In Cryptocurrency As Part Of The Largest Forfeiture In US Government History
-
Fitness34 minutes agoThe 150-minute Exercise Rule Helps Your Heart. But If You’re Serious About It, Better Aim for 600 Minutes
-
Movie Reviews46 minutes ago‘The Blow’ Review: A Gripping, Feverishly Performed French Drama Explores Incest With Candor and Emotion
-
World58 minutes agoYoung MC Follows Morris Day in Exiting D.C. ‘Freedom 250’ Festival Over Trump Connection, as C+C Music Factory Weighs Options: ‘The Artists Were Never Told About Any Political Involvement’
-
Business1 hour agoThe Google Insider Trading Case Hits Polymarket
