(FeaturedHeadlines.com) Famed TV actor Taylor Wiley, who is known for his role in Hawaii Five-0, died a natural death at the age of 56 on June 20.
The executive director of the famous detective show, Peter Lenkov, sent tribute to the deceased actor and called him “brother.” Lenkov posted a video montage on his social media in which he shared his lifelong moments with Wiley. Lenkov recalled falling in love with Wiley at his first audition, where he appeared with a towel on his head to mop his sweat.
The director also noted that Wiley earned a regular place in his show and that he will continue remembering him every day for the rest of his life.
Wiley appeared in 171 episodes of the show, where he played Kamekona Tupuola for almost ten years.
Before making his fortunes in acting, Wiley was a sumo wrestler and a MMA fighter in Japan. He later participated in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 1993, where he famously competed with Gerard Gordeau in UFC 1, which grabbed the attention of many Americans as it was the first ever professional MMA event taking place in the States. The UFC also paid tribute to Wiley, who was among the pioneers to introduce the game in the US.
In a separate post, Lenkov stated that many people remember Wiley for being a great and easily approachable friend. Wiley wanted to open a Kamekona ice stand, not for business purposes but to personally meet and greet his fans, Lenkov continued.
Wiley’s colleague from Hawaii Five-O, Will Yun Lee, called him a “prince,” adding that he admires the time he spent with the actor sitting in a quiet place and sharing life experiences.
Michelle Borth, who played Catherine Rollins in 60 episodes of the show, also sent her condolences to the deceased actor. She praised his attractive smile and recalled the memories they made together during their work.
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