Kaylee Hottle, Jia in the Godzilla films, dies in car crash
The actress, known for Godzilla vs. Kong and its 2024 sequel, died in a Maryland car accident, her father and school said.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Kaylee Hottle, the young actress who played Jia in two recent Godzilla films, has died after a car accident in Maryland, according to her father and Texas School for the Deaf.
Variety reported that Hottle was 18. Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced the news in a Facebook livestream using American Sign Language and confirmed her death to TMZ. He told TMZ she died in a car accident in Maryland and that he was traveling from Texas to claim her body.
Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a senior, also confirmed her death in a social media statement. The school said the crash happened in Frederick, Maryland.
“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,” the school said in its post.
The school added that its “hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her” and asked people to respect the family’s privacy. Texas School for the Deaf said it had “very limited information” and urged people not to speculate about the circumstances of the crash.
A breakout role alongside Kong
Hottle was best known for playing Jia, a deaf orphan who shares a close connection with Kong, in 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Her character is cared for by Dr. Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall.
Hottle returned to the role in 2024’s “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” Variety reported that her work in the sequel earned her a Saturn Award nomination for best performance by a younger actor.
In both films, Hottle’s character communicates with Kong through signing. Hottle was fluent in American Sign Language, and both she and her father are deaf, according to Variety.
Part of a multigenerational deaf family
Variety reported that Hottle was born in Atlanta and came from an all-deaf family. Before her Godzilla roles, she appeared in commercials supporting the deaf community, including work connected to the video interpreting service Convo.
Her screen credits also included a 2021 episode of “Magnum P.I.,” according to Variety.
Outside acting, Hottle was a student-athlete. Variety reported that she competed on the track-and-field team at Texas School for the Deaf.
The school’s statement did not provide further details about the accident. Joshua Hottle’s comments to TMZ and the school’s post are the publicly reported confirmations of her death.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.