Deaf actress Kaylee Hottle, known for 'Godzilla' roles, dies at 18 in car crash

Kaylee Hottle, the 18-year-old actress who portrayed Jia in "Godzilla vs. Kong" and "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," has died. Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced her passing, revealing she died in a car accident in Maryland.

Hottle had become a significant figure for the deaf community in Hollywood, playing the role of Jia, a young girl who communicates with Kong through sign language. Her performance in the "Godzilla" films earned her a Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in 2024.

Her father shared the heartbreaking news in a Facebook Live video conducted in American Sign Language. The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a student, confirmed her death, calling it a "tremendous loss" and expressing condolences to her family and friends.

Before her film career, Hottle appeared in commercials targeting the deaf community and had a guest role on the series "Magnum P.I." She was also an athlete at the Texas School for the Deaf.