Deaf Godzilla actress Kaylee Hottle killed in car crash at 18

Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress who portrayed Jia in the recent "Godzilla" films, died in a car crash in Maryland, United States, on Tuesday, July 21. She was 18 years old.

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Kaylee’s mom and four siblings are crushed. They are together at home, grieving. I am on my way to Maryland to bring Kaylee’s body back home.

The accident occurred before 3 a.m. when the car Hottle was traveling in as a passenger veered off the road and struck a culvert in Ijamsville. The driver, a 19-year-old man from Frederick, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The other passenger declined medical treatment. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash, with excessive speed believed to be a contributing factor.

Hottle, a native signer of American Sign Language, formed a special bond with the monster Kong in the films, communicating with him through sign language. Her parents, Joshua and Ketsi Hottle, shared deeply emotional video statements on social media following her death. Her father, speaking in ASL, expressed forgiveness towards the driver, urging him not to let the incident define his life.

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I have forgiven you. Don’t let this incident ruin the rest of your life.

"Very grateful for the 18 years we had together – and wish we had more," Joshua Hottle said in his tribute. Her mother also shared her feelings, stating, "I still feel Kaylee is with us." Co-stars Millie Bobby Brown and Alexander Skarsgård, who learned ASL to communicate with Hottle on set, expressed their devastation and admiration for her professionalism.

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I still feel Kaylee is with us.

Hottle had previously appeared in a 2021 episode of "Magnum P.I." and was listed for future appearances. Her family is currently grieving her loss, with her father traveling to Maryland to bring her body home.

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I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee.