The young Deaf actor, celebrated for bringing authentic representation to a major Hollywood franchise, was a passenger in a single-vehicle accident early Tuesday.
MARKET INSIDER – Kaylee Hottle, the Deaf actor best known for portraying Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and its sequel, has died following a car crash in Maryland. She was 18.
The accident occurred at about 2:52 a.m. Tuesday in Ijamsville, Frederick County, according to local authorities. Hottle was travelling in a 1995 Honda Accord that left the road and struck a culvert. Investigators believe excessive speed may have contributed to the crash, although the investigation remains ongoing.
Emergency personnel transported Hottle to a trauma center, where she was pronounced dead. The 19-year-old driver sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while another passenger declined medical treatment at the scene, authorities said. Associated Press
Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death in a social-media video delivered in American Sign Language. He said his daughter suffered cardiac arrest while being taken to the hospital and that he travelled from Texas to Maryland following the accident.
Born into a multigenerational Deaf family, Hottle was a native user of American Sign Language and a student at the Texas School for the Deaf. She began appearing in commercials and advocacy campaigns as a child, including projects promoting communication services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Her breakthrough came in the 2021 Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures film Godzilla vs. Kong. Hottle played Jia, a young girl who forms a close bond with Kong and communicates with the giant creature through sign language.
The character became an important part of the film’s emotional storyline, with Hottle appearing alongside Rebecca Hall and Alexander Skarsgård. She returned as Jia in the 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, earning a Saturn Award nomination for her performance.
Hottle also appeared as Joon in an episode of the television series Magnum P.I.
Her performances were widely recognized for expanding the visibility of Deaf actors and sign language in a major global film franchise. The Texas School for the Deaf and several of Hottle’s former co-stars have paid tribute to the young actor following news of her death. The Washington Post reported that the school was providing grief support to members of its community.
