Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Wily began his professional career as an MMA fighter and sumo wrestler before deciding to pursue acting.
At the age of 56, Taylor Wily, best known for his parts in Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0, passed away.
On Thursday, June 20, Hawaiian artist and celebrity Lina Girl Langi, who had been close friends with Wily and his family, revealed the news of his passing on her lifestyle program Island Life Live.
Langi said on the show, “It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of a Hawaii celebrity who was also a family friend.” “Taylor Wily, actor, MMA fighter, and former wrestler, passed away in Hurricane, Utah, today.”
Davey D, her co-host, called Wily one of the “kindest” and “gentlest souls.”
Langi did not reveal Willy’s cause of death. She did point out that despite having an intimidating build, the actor was not scary in real life.
She said, “He would appear physically menacing until you simply folded into an embrace, and that was that.” “My heart is shattered.”
According to his IMDb page, Wily began his career as a sumo wrestler under the name “Takamishu” after being born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968. He won his first fourteen matches, according to TV Insider, and went on to become the first wrestler not born in the United States to win the title in the third-tier Makushita division.
He then participated in the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship event in 2000, losing to fellow fighter Gerard Gordeau and making history as the first competitor to lose in a UFC brawl.
Wily eventually made the transition to acting, starting out in the 1980s and early 2000s with background parts in television series like North Shore, One West, and the original Magnum P.I.
After that, he starred in the movies Radical and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and on Hawaii Five-0, he was cast as Kamekona, a series regular. In total, 171 episodes of the 2010–2020 season of the show included him. In the Magnum P.I. reboot, he also played the same character again.
On social media, a number of Wily’s acquaintances and admirers offered their condolences to his wife Halona Wily and the rest of his family. Executive producer Peter Lenkov of Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0 also honored the star on Instagram by posting a picture of the two of them together on set.
“I’m inconsolable. Brokenhearted. In a few days, I’ll share some in-depth feelings. Just too difficult at this time,” he wrote.
On Facebook, former Hawaii news reporter Angela Keen wrote that Wily was always “accessible and personable” and had frequently visited kids at Shriners Children’s Hawaii Hospital.
She remarked, “You were the very definition of a gentle giant.” “Taylor Wily, I can’t believe you’re gone.”
After posting a picture of the two, Dennis Chun, who portrayed Sgt. Duke Lukela in the Hawaii Five-0 revival, added, “Laura and I are heart broken to learn of Taylor Wily’s passing.” He was a giant of a man in addition to being a gifted artist.
“Being in a scene with him was always such a joy because of his aloha and heart,” he continued. It was a privilege to work with him and have him as a friend. Taylor, get some rest. Hawaii and I cry this evening. Taylor, till we cross paths again, aloha.
Ty Pennington became a household name working as a hunky carpenter – but today he looks different. The 58-year-old star has unfortunately had to endure bullying and harassment on social media.
As a handsome carpenter, Ty Pennington rose to fame; nevertheless, he no longer looks the same. Regretfully, the 58-year-old celebrity has experienced criticism and bullying on social media. He has been dubbed “disgusting,” “fat,” and “gross” by others. Ty finally had enough, and his most recent response to the critics is outstanding.
Several people have fallen in love with Ty Pennington, the host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ever since he made an appearance on the well-liked BBC show Trading Spaces, where he worked as a carpenter. Being incredibly talented and attractive, it was no surprise that Ty was asked to host one of the greatest programs for the underprivileged.
Ty was in the spotlight as the show’s host, but being on the set had its costs. He had a hard time finding time for himself.
“I went ten years without seeing my family or a partner. In 2019, he told The Atlanta Constitution, “I would go out again, come home, do laundry.”
“My God! People from the old TV show exclaimed when they saw me. You look fantastic! I slept for a while! I think my appearance has improved significantly from the time I was on the show.
To be honest, Ty wasn’t always interested in being a builder. Instead, he intended to become a graphic designer and worked in construction to help pay for art school. However, his modeling career was derailed by a near-fatal car accident, so he resorted to carpentry.
“My career appeared to take off overnight. Sadly, fate had other ideas. I would be in a terrible vehicle accident only a week later,” he posted on Instagram. “I put my one good headshot on display, grabbed my handy tool bag, and returned to carpentry and construction. I received an audition call for Trading Spaces nine years later, and the rest is history.
He first made his Hollywood debut as a set designer for Nicholas Cage’s 1995 picture Leaving Las Vegas, but it wasn’t until he appeared as a builder on Trading Spaces—the show that upended preconceived notions about home remodeling—that he became well-known.
Ty moved on to other endeavors when Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which had won him two Prime Time Emmy Awards, was canceled back in 2011. He appeared on The Revolution, an ABC chat show, and then On The Menu and American Diner Revival, two cookery programs. In addition, he launched a design store in Los Angeles. In addition to participating in the third season of Deluxe Corporation’s Small Business Revolution: Main Street, Ty renovated Trading Spaces in 2018. He was seen hosting Battle on the Beach most recently.
He wasn’t asked to return to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition when the show recently aired again, but he insisted there are no ill will or ill blood.
Ty currently hosts the program Rock the Block and serves as a mentor and design consultant on HGTV’s Battle on the Beach.
In November 2021, Ty tied the knot with 33-year-old Kellee Merrell, a social media manager. He announced the wonderful news on Instagram by sharing a picture with the remark, “It’s the ‘yes’ for me,” and proposed to her with a stunning tea-drop-shaped diamond ring.
Although they have known each other for a long time, they didn’t begin dating until last year when they happened to cross paths.
“I’ve long admired Kellee from a distance. Ty told People, “She’s a beautiful person on the inside and out.”
Fortunately, the proper moment finally came for our paths to cross. It’s one of those situations where being with someone makes you feel content. She altered my perception of marriage, which I had never held. I’m happy I held out for the one.
After several viewers pointed out that he no longer had a six-pack, the host shared a humorous video of him from the beach last year with his shorts hiked up to his stomach. He also remarked that “he was pushing his stomach out.”
“What was an honest moment of just trying to make my wife laugh, was then picked apart by strangers- with a lot of views, comes a lot of hate!” he said in a lengthy Instagram post titled “Thoughts on Aging,” in response to the criticism. Remarks such as “gross,” “disgusting,” “grandpa,” “he got fat,” “omg he’s so old now,” etc.And I pondered whether I would receive the same remarks if I was still in good health. “Maybe we should extend the same grace to men as we do to women? There has been such a force behind accepting all shapes and sizes and aging in the female community, which is AWESOME (keep it coming),” he said.
Of course, he was much younger than he is now when he made his television debut.
“Every day, I get a ton of comments like, ‘NOOOo, what happened to him????’ The other day, I heard someone say, “lack of exercise,” which I hope was accurate! Seven days a week, I work out harder than I have ever worked out in my life (this over 50 sh*t is no joke). It’s been 22 years since my television debut, so here’s what occurred! He penned. “No, I don’t have a six pack or a gorgeous head of hair with frosted tips anymore, but at 57 years old, I’ve never been happier! I do, however, have wisdom, empathy, and life lessons! All of this is to indicate, nevertheless, that I am a human being with feelings. Yes, I am older, but that’s kind of cool, in my opinion.
In our opinion, he looks fantastic.
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