‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Star Kaylee Hottle Dies at 18

Kaylee Hottle, an actress known for her roles in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” died on Monday in a car accident, according to The New York Times. She was 18.

Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced the news in a Facebook livestream using American Sign Language, saying that she died in a car accident in Maryland and he was flying from Texas to claim her body. Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a senior, also confirmed the news in a statement on social media. Hottle and her father are both deaf and come from a multi-generational deaf family.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland,” Texas School for the Deaf’s post reads. “Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time. At this time, we have very limited information and ask that everyone respect the privacy of Kaylee’s family and refrain from sharing or speculating about the circumstances surrounding the accident.”

Hottle is best known for playing Jia, a deaf orphan who forms a close bond with Kong and is taken in by Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), in 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” and 2024’s “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” For the latter, Hottle was nominated for the Saturn Award for best performance by a younger actor.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 1, 2007, Hottle was from an all-deaf family and got her start in commercials promoting support for the deaf community, including the video interpreting service Convo. She was fluent in American Sign Language and communicated with Kong in both “Godzilla” films by signing. Besides the two “Godzilla” films, she is also credited in a 2021 episode of “Magnum P.I.” In addition to her acting work, Hottle was an athlete and competed on Texas School for the Deaf’s track-and-field team.