Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress who portrayed Jia in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong and reprised her role in 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, has passed away at the age of 18.
The news was announced by her father, Joshua Hottle, via social media on Tuesday, July 21, as he said he was flying from Texas to Maryland to claim her body.
Highlights
- Kaylee Hottle, 18, has passed away following injuries sustained in an accident, her father confirmed on social media.
- The deaf actress rose to fame as Jia, the young girl who formed a bond with Kong in the MonsterVerse films.
- Texas School of the Deaf remembered her as a beloved alumna while asking fans to respect her family’s privacy.
“I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,” he wrote in the caption of the video.
Kaylee succumbed to her injuries while en route to the hospital after an accident
Image credits: Getty/Michael Buckner
Kaylee was involved in a car crash in the early hours of Tuesday, according to her father’s Facebook video.
He said authorities initially informed him that she was being taken to a hospital, but later told him that her heart stopped working on the way, resulting in her demise.
Joshua, who is also deaf, used sign language to share the heartbreaking news with the star’s fans.
Image credits: Warner Bros
Social media users were quick to express condolences.
“Sending prayers,” one wrote, while another commented, “RIP to the beautiful girl.”
“She was a brilliant addition to the Godzilla franchise,” noted a third.
Image credits: Getty/Michael Tullberg
Kaylee’s showbiz career started in 2017 when she appeared in an ad for the American Sign Language translation app Convo.
Producers from the 2017 film Kong: Skull Island took note of her talent following this gig and thought she “matched the character description for Jia,” the orphan who forms a bond with King Kong through sign language in the movies.
Kaylee starred in Godzilla vs. Kong alongside the likes of Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Brian Tyree Henry, and Rebecca Hall.
Skarsgård, in particular, praised the youngster’s performance in the offering
“It’s her first movie,” the actor said in a 2021 interview with pop culture website Junkee.
“It’s fascinating how comfortable she is in front of the camera and how quickly she takes notes from director Adam [Wingard]. He’ll explain something and she’ll be like, ‘Got it, got it,’ then she’ll just do it, and everyone’s like, ‘The f*** … how did she do that?’” he added.
Skarsgård described Kaylee as “professional” and “incredible,” calling the expressions on her face “fascinating to watch.”
Image credits: Warner Bros
The next Godzilla movie is set to release in March 2027, but it does not appear that Kaylee was invited back.
Her other notable screen appearance came in a 2021 episode of Magnum P.I.
Kaylee’s school has reacted to the news of her passing
Image credits: Getty/Bobby Bank
Kaylee attended the Texas School for the Deaf, which released a statement expressing “profound sadness” over the loss of their alumna.
Corroborating Maryland as the place of her demise, the institution shared, “Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this difficult time.”
They said information surrounding the accident that took Kaylee’s life is limited, while asking people to respect her family’s privacy and avoid speculation.
In addition to acting, Kaylee was an athlete and competed on her school’s deaf track-and-field team.
"This is so sad. Her life had just begun," a netizen said
