'Godzilla x Kong' Star Kaylee Hottle Dies In Maryland Car Accident At 18, Father Confirms Accident

Maryland: The young American actor, Kaylee Hottle, celebrated for her portrayal of Jia in the MonsterVerse films ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’, has died at the age of 18. Her father, Joshua Hottle, shared the news in a Facebook livestream delivered in American Sign Language, before confirming details to the local media. He confirmed that the promising actor was killed in a road traffic collision in Maryland's Frederick, on Tuesday.

Notably, Kaylee Hottle and her father are both deaf and come from a multi-generational deaf family. She made her screen debut as Jia, a deaf orphan who forms a profound bond with Kong, and went on to reprise the role 3 years later. The character became an emotional centre of both films, and Kaylee’s performance earned her a ‘Saturn Award’ nomination for ‘Best Performance’ by a Younger Actor for the 2024 sequel.

As the tragic news of her demise spread, tributes began to pour in from her school and fans worldwide. The ‘Texas School for the Deaf’, where Kaylee was in her final year, confirmed the loss on social media and asked for privacy as the family grieves. The news has led to an outpouring of condolences for a young actor who broke barriers for deaf representation in mainstream cinema.

In a statement posted online, the Texas School for the Deaf expressed the grief, saying, “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.”

Father Joshua Hottle announced the death himself during a livestream in ASL and later spoke to TMZ to confirm that the crash had occurred in Maryland. According to reports, Joshua stated that he was flying from Texas to Frederick to claim his daughter’s body.

Breakthrough Role In The Movies

Kaylee Hottle was cast as Jia in 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs Kong’, playing a young orphan who communicates in sign language and develops a unique connection with Kong. She was taken in on screen by Dr Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall. The role was reprised in 2024’s ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’, where her performance drew critical attention and led to a Saturn Award nomination.

Speaking to ‘The Daily Moth’ in 2021, Kaylee responded candidly on the difficulties of working in ASL on a major Hollywood set. “I was fine with memorising the script and signing my lines, but the tough part was signing out the 'spoken' parts because we had to change it, and sometimes they'd tell us it was wrong but they didn't understand that ASL changes almost everything. Because the interpreter said what I said. The producer and director would sometimes say, 'Don't say that' and want me to follow the script, but the signs for that sentence would be different in ASL,” she said. 

Beyond her film work, Kaylee was known within the deaf community as a visible example of representation on a global stage. Even though she came from a family with deep roots in deaf culture, she brought authenticity to Jia that resonated with audiences and opened conversations about accessibility in blockbuster filmmaking.

As news of her death spreads, colleagues, classmates and viewers have remembered her warmth, talent and the quiet strength she brought to Kong’s story. The Texas School for the Deaf concluded the statement by asking the public to honour the family’s privacy in the days ahead.