Kaylee Hottle, the 18-year-old deaf actor known for the Godzilla franchise
The entertainment industry and the deaf community are mourning the sudden loss of 18-year-old actor Kaylee Hottle. The rising star, best known for her breakthrough role as Jia in the Godzilla franchise, died in a car crash in Maryland earlier this week.
Kaylee Hottle, the 18-year-old actor celebrated for her breakout performance in the Godzilla franchise
Millie Bobby Brown, who starred alongside Hottle in Godzilla vs. Kong, expressed her shock on Instagram. “I’m so devastated to hear this,” Brown wrote. “You will be deeply missed Kaylee.”
Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin also shared her grief, calling Hottle “sweet” and stating she was “absolutely gutted” by the news. Matlin added, “May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity.”
A Family and School in Grief
Hottle came from a multi-generational deaf family. Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced her tragic passing during an American Sign Language livestream on Facebook.
“Kaylee’s mom and four siblings are crushed. They are together at home, grieving,” he shared in a subsequent ASL post.
At the time of her death, Hottle was a senior at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin. School officials confirmed that counseling and support services are now available for mourning students and staff.
“Please keep Kaylee’s loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together,” the school said in a public statement.
Hollywood Remembers a Rising Talent
Hottle’s professionalism on set left a permanent mark on Hollywood veterans. Alexander Skarsgård, her Godzilla co-star, previously shared that he learned American Sign Language specifically to communicate with her.
In a 2021 interview with Junkee, Skarsgård praised Hottle’s remarkable ability to instantly absorb director Adam Wingard’s notes and translate them into a compelling performance.
Fellow deaf actors also voiced their heartbreak. Alaqua Cox, who was set to co-star with Hottle in the upcoming film What Doesn’t Kill Us, took to Instagram to share her sorrow.
“I’m so heartbroken,” Cox wrote. “My heart goes out to her family during this unimaginable time.”
CODA star and Oscar winner Troy Kotsur noted that the tragedy hit painfully close to home, reminding him of his own daughter. Offering his “deepest condolences,” Kotsur urged his followers never to take time with loved ones for granted.
A Breakout Star
Hottle skyrocketed to global recognition as Jia, the deaf orphan who forms an exclusive bond with King Kong in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. She reprised the fan-favorite role in the 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, starring opposite Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews.
In a 2024 interview with The Associated Press, Hottle admitted she hadn’t watched monster movies before landing the massive role, crediting her father for guiding her through the genre.
“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 said via an interpreter.
Beyond the monsterverse, Hottle secured a guest role on Magnum P.I. and was actively expanding her resume. Despite her tragically short career, Hottle’s powerful on-screen presence established her as a vital new voice for the deaf community in mainstream cinema.
