Actress Kaylee Hottle, best known for her portrayal of a young deaf orphan who shares a special bond with the giant guardian ape in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” has died. She was 18 years old.
Hottle died Tuesday morning after the car he was riding in crashed into a roadside culvert in Ijamsville, Maryland, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. His father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed his death in a video on Facebook.
“I'm taking a flight I never would have liked to take,” he wrote in the caption of the video, in which he explained the situation in American Sign Language. He was on his way from Texas to claim her body, according to TMZ.
The Texas School for the Deaf also addressed the actor's death on social media.
“It is with deep 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 Instagram post reads. “Our hearts go out to Kaylee's family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.”
Hottle's breakout role was in the 2021 MonsterVerse crossover “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which marked her big screen debut as the young orphan Jia. Jia is the last survivor of the Iwi tribe on Skull Island and shares a connection with Kong, the island's protector. His adoptive mother, Dr. Ilene Andrews, is a linguistics expert and Kong researcher, played by Rebecca Hall. Hottle reprized the role in the 2024 sequel, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”
“After I saw the movie, I thought, 'Wow, this is going to have such a big impact,'” Hottle said in a 2024 interview with New York's WABC. “I was very excited. She is a young deaf girl, like many others. And this journey she is taking is going to be incredible.”
The actress, who was born in Atlanta, came from a totally deaf family, which included four generations of deaf relatives on her father's side, according to IMDb.
Authorities said Hottle was one of two passengers in the 1995 Honda Accord that was involved in the crash. While the incident is still under investigation, the Sheriff's Office said in its news release that “excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor to the collision.”
Millie Bobby Brown, who also appeared in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” was among those who shared tributes to Hottle following the news of his death.
“I'm so devastated to hear this,” she wrote on her Instagram Story, which included a black and white photo of Hottle as Jia. “You will be deeply missed, Kaylee.”
“I am absolutely devastated by the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle,” Oscar winner Marlee Matlin wrote on Instagram. “May your beauty and talent be a memory for eternity… It was a great privilege to have met Kaylee last year. Please be kind to each other. Take the time to listen to your child. Say 🤟🏼 every time you part. 🩵.”
