Actress Kaylee Hottle, best known for her role as Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and its 2024 sequel, has died at the age of 18 following a car crash in Ijamsville, Maryland. The accident occurred early Tuesday morning when a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a 19-year-old man veered off the road and struck a culvert. Excessive speed is believed to have contributed to the crash, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.
Hottle, a passenger in the vehicle, was transported to a trauma center where she was pronounced dead. The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while another passenger declined medical treatment. Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death in a Facebook livestream where he communicated in American Sign Language (ASL). He was en route from Texas to Maryland to claim her body.
Background and Impact
Hottle, who was deaf, came from a multigenerational deaf family and was a native ASL user. Her role as Jia, a deaf orphan with a bond to Kong, marked a significant step in deaf representation in Hollywood. She also appeared in Magnum P.I. and the upcoming thriller What Doesn’t Kill Us.
The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a student, released a statement expressing grief and offering counseling to affected students and staff. The sheriff’s office is investigating the crash and has asked for any witnesses to come forward.
Hottle’s family has requested privacy during this difficult time.