Kaylee Hottle, an 18-year-old, deaf actor who starred in two “Godzilla” films, died early Tuesday after the car she was riding in crashed near Ijamsville, Maryland, authorities said.
The crash happened before 3 am, when the car went off the road and hit a culvert, police said. Hottle was one of two passengers in the car. The driver, a 19-year-old man, was taken to hospital with injuries which were not considered life-threatening, while the second passenger was not hurt and did not require any treatment. Investigators believe that the excessive speed of the vehicle contributed to the crash, which remains under investigation.
Hottle was airlifted from the scene but did not survive, her father Joshua Hottle said in a video statement posted online. He and Hottle’s mother, Ketsi, are both deaf, as are her four siblings, and the family communicates in American Sign Language.
In his statement, Joshua Hottle said he was travelling to Maryland to bring his daughter’s body home, and thanked family and well-wishers for their support during the 18 years he had with her. He also said he had extended forgiveness to the young driver involved in the crash. Hottle’s mother said in a separate post that she still feels her daughter’s presence.
Hottle rose to prominence playing Jia, an orphaned girl who befriends the giant ape Kong through sign language, in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and its sequel, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” Co-star Alexander Skarsgard, who learned ASL for the role, had previously praised her professionalism and quick grasp of direction. In a 2024 interview, Hottle said she had never watched monster movies before landing the part and relied on her father to introduce her to the genre.
Tributes poured in from the entertainment industry following news of her death. “Godzilla” co-star Millie Bobby Brown expressed shock and grief on social media, while Alaqua Cox, her co-star in the upcoming film, called the loss heartbreaking. Deaf actors Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, both Oscar winners, also paid tribute, with Kotsur saying the news reminded him to cherish time with his own daughter.
Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, where Hottle studied, confirmed her death and said counselling would be made available to students affected by the loss.