Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress best known for her breakout role in two blockbuster “Godzilla” movies, has died in a car crash in Maryland. She was 18.
The crash happened shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday in Ijamsville, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said Hottle was one of two passengers in a vehicle that veered off the road and struck a culvert. The 19-year-old driver, who is from Frederick, was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The other passenger declined medical treatment.
Investigators believe excessive speed may have contributed to the crash, though the exact circumstances remain under investigation.
Hottle was a native user of American Sign Language and came from a deaf family. Her parents, Joshua and Ketsi Hottle, shared emotional video tributes to their daughter on social media following her death.
“Privilege to be your mom, Kaylee Hottle,” her mother wrote.
Her father shared his heartbreak while preparing to travel.
“I am taking a flight I would never like to take,” he wrote.
Hottle rose to international fame as Jia, an orphaned girl who develops a powerful bond with Kong, in 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.” She returned for the 2024 sequel, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”
Her character was able to see beyond Kong’s frightening appearance and communicate with him through sign language, creating one of the franchise’s most emotional relationships.
Millie Bobby Brown, who appeared alongside Hottle in the “Godzilla” films, paid tribute to the young actress on Instagram.
“I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee,” Brown wrote.
Alexander Skarsgård, another of Hottle’s co-stars, learned American Sign Language to communicate with her while they worked together.
In a 2021 interview with entertainment outlet Junkee, Skarsgård said the cast and crew were impressed by Hottle’s professionalism and her ability to quickly understand and apply the director’s notes.
Despite her natural screen presence, Hottle said she had not watched monster movies before being cast in the franchise.
During a 2024 interview with The Associated Press, she explained through an interpreter that her father helped introduce her to the genre and understand the world she was stepping into.
Hottle also spoke warmly about the people who inspired her most.
“I look up to a lot of people, but the one person I look up to, the few people I look up to mostly, are my parents and my sisters,” she signed.
She admitted that filming her first major movie made her wonder whether fame would prevent her from returning to a normal life.
“People do recognize me at school, yes, but it’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” she said.
In addition to the two “Godzilla” movies, Hottle appeared in a 2021 episode of “Magnum P.I.” She was also listed as a cast member in the upcoming film “What Doesn’t Kill Us.”
Alaqua Cox, Hottle’s co-star in the film and a fellow deaf actress, shared her own message of grief.
“I’m so heartbroken. My heart goes out to her family during this unimaginable time,” Cox wrote on Instagram.
The Texas School for the Deaf in Austin also announced Hottle’s death and said counseling and support services would be available to students and friends affected by the loss.
“Please keep Kaylee’s loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together,” the school wrote.
Hottle’s death has left fans, classmates and fellow actors mourning a young performer whose career was only beginning.