Kaylee Hottle, the deaf American actress best known for her role as Jia in the Godzilla vs Kong films, has died following a car crash in Frederick, Maryland.
She was 18.
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According to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, when Kaylee was riding in a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a 19-year-old man.
The vehicle veered off a two-lane road and struck a culvert.
Authorities believe excessive speed may have been a contributing factor to the crash, which remains under investigation.
Kaylee was transported to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
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The 19-year-old driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while another passenger declined medical treatment.
KAYLEE'S FATHER SHARES HEARTBREAKING NEWS
Meanwhile, Kaylee's father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed the heartbreaking news in a Facebook livestream on the evening of July 21, using American Sign Language (ASL).
In his message, he thanked everyone who had offered prayers and support for their family during the difficult time as he traveled from Texas to Maryland to claim his daughter's body.
Kaylee and her father were both deaf and came from a multigenerational deaf family.
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KAYLEE's PROJECTS
Kaylee made her feature film debut in the 2021 blockbuster Godzilla vs. Kong, portraying Jia, a deaf orphan who forms a unique bond with Kong through American Sign Language (ASL).
She reprised the role in the 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, earning praise for her authentic performance and helping bring greater deaf representation to mainstream Hollywood.
The role earned her a nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor at the Saturn Awards.
Before her breakout film role, she appeared in commercials promoting deaf awareness and later made a guest appearance on Magnum P.I.
KAYLEE'S GODZILLA VS. KONG CO-STARS MOURN HER DEATH
Following news of her death, several of her co-stars paid tribute.
Millie Bobby Brown, who starred alongside Kaylee in Godzilla vs. Kong, wrote on her Instagram Stories, "I'm so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed, Kaylee."
Rebecca Hall also expressed her condolences by sharing a photos of herself with Kaylee on Instagram.
She captioned the post, "Devastated to hear this news. My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed, Kaylee."
