Kaylee Hottle, the young actress known for playing Jia in the “Godzilla vs. Kong” films, has died at the age of 18 following a car crash in Maryland.
According to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened early Tuesday morning, around 2:52 a.m., in the community of Ijamsville. A 1995 Honda Accord, driven by a 19-year-old man, went off a two-lane road and hit a culvert. Hottle was one of two passengers in the car. Investigators said excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.
Hottle was the only person in the vehicle who died. The driver suffered injuries that are not considered life-threatening, while the second passenger was not hurt badly enough to need medical treatment.
Hottle was deaf and came from an all-deaf family that spans four generations. She played Jia, an orphaned girl who communicates with Kong using sign language, in 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” and its 2024 sequel, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” Her performance in the sequel earned her a Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.
Her father, Joshua Hottle, shared the heartbreaking news in a video using American Sign Language, saying he was flying to Maryland after learning of his daughter’s death.
Hottle’s school, the Texas School for the Deaf, where she was a senior, called her passing a “tremendous loss” and offered condolences to her family, friends, and classmates. The school said counseling support would be made available to students and staff affected by the news.
