We're very sad to report that Kaylee Hottle, the young actress best known for her role as Jia in the 2021 movie Godzilla vs Kong and follow-up Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, has died following a car accident. She was just 18 years old.
Kaylee's father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed the devastating news to TMZ after first sharing a Facebook livestream.
In the video, Joshua explained in ASL that the crash occurred in Maryland. He revealed that he was in Texas when he got a call from authorities about a serious collision, and when he was on the way to see his daughter, he received a follow-up call to inform him that her heart had stopped while on the way to the hospital.
Kaylee and her parents are all Deaf individuals, and four generations of Joshua’s family come from the Deaf community, according to The Houston Chronicle. Kaylee attended the Texas School for the Deaf, which released the following statement.
. “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. 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.”
In Godzilla vs Kong, Kaylee played Jia, a teenager who was able to communicate with King Kong via sign language. She reprised the role in 2024's Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. Hottle also appeared in NBC’s Magnum P.I. series and had a film in pre-production titled What Doesn’t Kill Us.
Our thoughts go out to Kaylee's friends and family during this very difficult time.
"This latest entry follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
The story sees the legendary Titans Godzilla and Kong team up to face a world-ending threat so terrifying that neither could survive alone."