Kaylee Hottle, known for her significant role in Godzilla vs. Kong and its sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, has passed away at 18 years old.
Her father confirmed the tragic news through a video on Facebook. Since her entire family is deaf, the message was conveyed in American Sign Language (ASL) under the title: "I'm about to catch a flight I never wanted to catch". The young actress lost her life in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.
The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was studying, also publicly expressed their condolences: "Our hearts are with Kaylee's family, friends, classmates, and all who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time".
Godzilla vs Kong, her major role
The young actress rose to fame for her role in the successful Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), where she portrayed Jia, an orphaned and deaf girl who was the only one able to connect and communicate with Kong. The movie's leads, both Rebecca Hall and Alexander Skarsgård, learned sign language to communicate with the actress on set.
The actress reprised her role in the 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Her outstanding performance earned her a nomination for Best Performance by a Young Actor at the Saturn Awards.