- Primary Subject: Kaylee Hottle
- Key Update: Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle has tragically passed away at age 18.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 21, 2026
- Quick Answer: Actress Kaylee Hottle, best known for playing Jia in the Godzilla franchise, has died at 18 following a Maryland car accident.
Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle has died at the age of 18 following a tragic car accident.
The report of the young actress’s death was confirmed by TMZ through her father, Joshua Hottle, who shared in a live stream that she was killed in a serious car accident in Maryland earlier this morning.
Through ASL, Joshua explained that he had to fly from Texas to claim her body. The details regarding the accident are still unknown at this point, but officials told the father that the late actress’ heart stopped on the way to the hospital.
Kaylee Hottle’s Movie and TV Works
Most fans would recognize Hottle, who was a deaf actress, for her role as fan-favorite character Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong. She reprised the role in the 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
It was a breakout role for the young actress, who was considered to be one of the highlights of the first Godzilla vs. Kong movie. She was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Film for her performance in the sequel.
According to producer Alex Garcia in the press release for the first film, casting the role of Jia was an immense challenge for the team. Traditional casting channels yielded no results, prompting casting director Sarah Halley Finn to expand her search through theater networks and specialized agencies.
She eventually discovered Kaylee Hottle, who had zero experience acting in a film. Garcia noted that despite her lack of prior movie experience, the team instantly knew Kaylee was ideal for the role the moment they met her.
In a 2024 interview, Hottle opened up about how it was an opportunity for her to advocate for more ASL character representation on screen.
“I’m acting in monster movies as a deaf person. I want deaf people to know that they can do that too, just like me. There are no limits,” she said.
Aside from the MonsterVerse movies, she also made a guest appearance in an episode of Magnum P.I., which was her only television credit.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to site for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source epicstream.com ’
