Biography
Taylor Wily, also credited as Teila Tuli and Takamikuni, was an American actor, former sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo in Japan under the name Takamikuni from 1987, becoming the first foreign-born wrestler to win a championship in the makushita division before retiring in 1989 due to injury. He fought in the first bout of the inaugural UFC event in 1993, billed as Teila Tuli.
Wily was best known for his recurring role as Kamekona Tupuola, a shrimp truck owner, entrepreneur and police informant, on the CBS series Hawaii Five-0 (2010–2020), appearing in 171 episodes. He reprised the character in Magnum, P.I. (2018) and MacGyver (2016). Earlier film and television credits include Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) as Kemo and small roles in North Shore (2004).
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on 14 June 1968, Wily died on 20 June 2024 in Hurricane, Utah.
