We have tragic news to share today, as it’s being reported that Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress who played Jia in the MonsterVerse films Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, has passed away at the age of 18 following a car accident in Maryland.
According to TMZ, Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed that his daughter was killed in a car accident early Tuesday morning. He later shared the heartbreaking news during a livestream conducted in American Sign Language, explaining that he had traveled from Texas to Maryland to claim her body.
Joshua Hottle said he was initially informed that Kaylee had been involved in a serious crash. A short time later, authorities contacted him again to say that her heart had stopped while she was being transported to the hospital.
Born into a multi-generational deaf family, Hottle began acting at a young age. One of her earliest appearances came in a public service announcement for the video messaging app Glide, which is widely used within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Her mother is Ketsi Carlson Hottle, an ASL educator, advocate, and performer in educational materials like She Said, He Said: Monologues and Dialogues in ASL and In Transition: Interactive Situations for Interpreting Practice on Transitioning to College.
Kaylee Hottle made her feature film debut in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, playing Jia, who forms a bond with Kong and communicates with him using sign language. The character quickly became a fan favorite thanks to her unique connection with the giant ape, making her one of the emotional centerpieces of the creature-filled franchise. She returned as Jia in 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, where her character also happened to be the key to reawakening Mothra.
Outside of the Godzilla franchise, Hottle also appeared in an episode of the Magnum P.I. reboot, playing the character Joon during the show’s fourth season.
Although her career was only beginning, Hottle’s performances made her a memorable part of the MonsterVerse for audiences around the world. Our condolences go out to her family, friends, and fans during this incredibly difficult time.
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