Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress known for playing Jia in "Godzilla vs. Kong" and "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," has died in a car accident aged 18. Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced her death via a Facebook livestream in American Sign Language, and Texas School for the Deaf, where she was a senior, confirmed the news in a statement. The death of a young rising star known for a landmark deaf role in major studio blockbusters has prompted an outpouring of tributes.

The accident occurred on Monday in Frederick, Maryland, according to Texas School for the Deaf, which asked for privacy while details remain limited. Hottle, born in Atlanta in 2007, came from a multi-generational deaf family and was fluent in American Sign Language, which she used to communicate with Kong's character in both films; she received a Saturn Award nomination for her performance in the 2024 sequel. Beyond acting, she competed on her school's track-and-field team and had earlier appeared in commercials and a 2021 episode of "Magnum P.I."