Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress best known for playing Jia in "Godzilla vs. Kong" and its sequel "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," has died at 18 following a car crash in Frederick County, Maryland, early Tuesday morning.
What Happened
According to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, deputies and EMS responded to a single-vehicle crash just before 3 a.m. on July 21 in Ijamsville, Maryland. A preliminary investigation found that a 1995 Honda Accord, driven by a 19-year-old man, went off the right side of a two-lane road and struck a culvert. Officials said excessive speed is believed to have been a contributing factor. Three people were in the car at the time, including Hottle, the driver, and a second passenger. Hottle was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The driver was taken to a local hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, and the second passenger declined medical treatment at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
A Father's Emotional Announcement
Hottle's father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death to TMZ and shared the news himself in a nearly 23-minute livestream on Facebook, captioned "I am taking a flight that I never would like to take." Speaking in American Sign Language, Joshua explained that he first learned his daughter had been in a serious accident, and that officials called him shortly after to tell him her heart had stopped on the way to the hospital. He said he had to fly from Texas to Maryland to claim her body. Kaylee's mother, Ketsi Hottle, also shared an emotional tribute online, writing, "Privilege to be your mom, Kaylee Hottle."
Who Kaylee Hottle Was
Hottle, from Kyle, Texas, was a senior at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin. A native signer of American Sign Language, she came from a family where multiple members are also deaf. She rose to prominence playing Jia, an orphaned girl who forms a unique bond with Kong and communicates with him through sign language, in 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong" and its 2024 sequel, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." In a 2024 interview with the Houston Chronicle, she spoke openly about both her school and what her acting career had meant to her as a deaf woman.
Tributes From the Deaf and Entertainment Communities
News of Hottle's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from fellow deaf actors, including Oscar winners, as well as from within the entertainment industry more broadly. Millie Bobby Brown, who starred alongside Hottle in "Godzilla vs. Kong," shared a tribute to her former co-star on Instagram. The Texas School for the Deaf also issued a statement, saying, "It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away," adding that the school recognizes "this loss will have a significant impact on our TSD community" and that counseling services would be made available to students and staff.
What's Next
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said the crash remains under active investigation and is asking anyone with information to come forward. It was not immediately clear why Hottle was in Maryland at the time of the crash. As tributes continue to pour in from fans, castmates, and the deaf community, funeral and memorial details had not yet been announced as of the latest reporting.