Kaylee Hottle, the young actress who portrayed Jia in the blockbuster films "Godzilla vs. Kong" and "Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire," has died at the age of 18. Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her passing to TMZ, stating that the emerging talent died in a car crash in Maryland on Tuesday morning, July 21.
According to reports, Joshua Hottle shared the news via a video on his Facebook page, explaining in American Sign Language that he had traveled from Texas to retrieve his daughter's body. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office in Maryland confirmed that Hottle was one of two passengers involved in an early morning crash around 2 a.m. The driver, a 19-year-old man, was allegedly traveling at excessive speeds before the vehicle veered off the right side of the road and struck a culvert.
Hottle was transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was also taken to the hospital. The sheriff's office indicated that the crash remains under investigation.
Hottle, who was deaf, gained recognition for her role as Jia, an orphaned Iwi native and the adopted daughter of Dr. Ilene Andrews, a Kong expert portrayed by Rebecca Hall. In the films, Jia develops a unique bond with the giant ape, communicating with him through sign language.
Beyond the "Godzilla" franchise, Hottle appeared in a 2021 episode of "Magnum P.I." as Joon. She was also attached to "What Doesn't Kill Us," a superhero film reported to be in pre-production, according to IMDb. Hottle was a fourth-generation deaf actress.
Following the release of the first "Godzilla vs. Kong" film in 2021, Hottle told The Daily Moth that she had taken on the role of teaching the cast and crew American Sign Language. "They had never interacted with a deaf person before," she said, relaying her experience in ASL. "I had to explain how to sign and use facial expressions. That was the hard part, but when they picked up on it, it was fine. I didn't really have challenges; they were very accommodating. Some of the workers learned how to sign."
In a 2024 interview with WABC7 New York City, Hottle expressed her belief that her roles would "make such a big impact." She elaborated on the significance of representation: "Representation means to me, it shows where I come from and who I represent and what I'm representing for," Hottle said. "Jia in the movie, she represents bravery. And I represent the deaf community. And I also represent Asian Americans as well. So I truly care so much about representation."
