Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actor known for her role as Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and its sequel, has died at the age of 18 following a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.
Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed the death in a video posted to Facebook in American Sign Language, stating that her heart stopped as she was being transported to the hospital after the early-morning crash. Joshua Hottle travelled from Texas to release her remains.
Born in Atlanta into a family where deafness spans four generations, Hottle gained recognition for her portrayal of Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (2024), earning a Saturn Award nomination for best performance by a younger actor. She also appeared in CBS's Magnum P.I. reboot. The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a senior, issued a statement mourning her death.