Kaylee Hottle dies at 18 after Maryland car crash
The deaf actress known for the “Godzilla” franchise, died in a car crash in Maryland, her family and school said. Tributes poured in from co-stars and…
FREDERICK, Maryland — Kaylee Hottle died in a car crash in Maryland, according to statements cited by Variety and The Associated Press. The deaf actress, known for her roles in Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, was 18.
The news landed hard across the film community. Tributes from co-stars and classmates followed quickly, while Texas School for the Deaf said it was mourning one of its seniors. The loss cut across Hollywood and the deaf community at the same time.
Kaylee Hottle’s rise in the “Godzilla” films
Hottle was best known for playing Jia, a deaf orphan who forms a close bond with Kong and is taken in by Dr. Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall. Her feature-film debut came with Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021, and she returned for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in 2024.
For the sequel, Hottle was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor at the 52nd Saturn Awards. Her work drew attention not just because of the franchise’s scale, but because she brought American Sign Language to the center of a global blockbuster story.
Hottle was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and came from an all-deaf family. Wikipedia’s biography says she was fluent in American Sign Language and attended the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas, where she competed in track and field.
Family, school and co-stars react
Variety reported that Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, announced the news in a Facebook livestream using American Sign Language. He said she died in a car accident in Maryland and that he was flying from Texas to claim her body.
Texas School for the Deaf also confirmed the death in a social media statement. The school wrote: “It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.”
It added: “Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time. At this time, we have very limited information and ask that everyone respect the privacy of Kaylee’s family and refrain from sharing or speculating about the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
AP said Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Marlee Matlin were among the stars paying tribute to Hottle. The response showed how far her work had traveled in a short time. She had already become familiar to mainstream movie audiences, while also standing out as a young deaf actor working inside one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.
Her death leaves a gap that is unusually visible. Hottle was not just part of the cast list. She was central to the emotional thread of the films, and her presence helped anchor the story around Jia and Kong. Texas School for the Deaf’s statement said it had “very limited information” about the crash, and asked people not to speculate as the family deals with the aftermath.
Variety said Hottle was a senior at Texas School for the Deaf. AP dated the tributes to July 22, while Wikipedia listed July 21, 2026, as the date of death. The confirmed details that remain are stark: a young actress, a Maryland crash, and an outpouring that began before the day was over.
