Actress Kaylee Hottle, best known for her role of Jia in Godzilla Vs. Kong, has died.
Born on May 1st 2007, Hottle was a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She was born into a multi-generational deaf family, and would spend most of her life tirelessly advocating for the hearing impaired.
It was whilst attending Texas School for the Deaf that Hottle began her career on-screen.
Hottle first appeared in a number of commercials, the most significant of which was for the video relaying app Convo. Other projects included a series of commercials promoting the importance of American Sign Language, and the international deaf awareness short 10 Deaf Children: One Powerful Message.
It would be Hottle’s appearance in the Convo commercial that would see her reach film stardom. Whilst casting for Godzilla Vs. Kong, casting director Sarah Halley Finn sought a deaf actor for the role of Jia. Having seen Hottle in the Convo commercial, a colleague pointed Finn in the right direction.
Hottle received significant praise for her turn in Godzilla Vs. Kong, with the actor’s ability to soulfully emote singled out by many. Hottle would reprise the role of Jia in 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire, which earned her a Saturn Award nomination.
The same year as her theatrical debut, Hottle would make her lone television guest appearance in an episode of Magnum P.I.
At the time of her passing, Hottle had just completed work on the pro-disability superhero comedy What Doesn’t Kill You.
Kaylee Hottle died on July 21st 2026. The actress was the sole fatality of a car accident in Ijamsville, Maryland. Police investigating the crash say speed was “a contributing factor,” with two other passenger sustaining minor injuries.
Hottle’s death was announced via her father, who made a video statement to his social media accounts.
Tributes have been paid by Hottle’s co-stars Millie Bobby Brown, Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall, and Alexander Skarsgard.
Kaylee Hottle was only 19 years old.
Rest easy, Kaylee.
