'Godzilla vs Kong' actor Kaylee Hottle dies in car crash at 18

Kaylee Hottle, the young actress best known for portraying Jia in the Godzilla franchise, has died in a car accident in Maryland. She was 18.

Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced the news through a Facebook livestream in American Sign Language and later confirmed her death to TMZ. According to reports, he said he was travelling from Texas to Maryland to claim her body.

The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a senior, also confirmed her death in a statement shared on social media.

"It is with profound 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 school said.

The statement added that the school stood with Hottle's family, friends and classmates during the difficult time, while urging the public to respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation about the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Hottle and her father were both deaf and belonged to a multi-generational deaf family.

She gained international recognition for her role as Jia, a deaf orphan who develops a unique bond with Kong and is adopted by Dr Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall, in Godzilla vs Kong (2021). She reprised the role in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).

Her performance in the 2024 film earned her a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. Hottle was widely praised for bringing authentic deaf representation to the big screen through her performances.