Kaylee Hottle’s father Joshua Hottle has confirmed the tragic news of his daughter’s death on Facebook Live just hours after receiving the news. On Tuesday morning, July 21st, the actress best known for playing Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong was involved in a car crash in Maryland. Her father broke the news on Facebook, tearfully explaining in ASL that his daughter had died in the crash and he had to fly from Texas to claim her body. Alongside the 23-minute live-stream, he wrote, “I am taking a flight that I never would like to take.” Joshua also confirmed the news to TMZ, saying that he initially got the call from officials saying Kaylee had been involved in a car accident. Shortly after, he was informed that her heart had stopped on the way to the hospital. Although some reports say Kaylee was 18 years old, she was born in May 2007, making her 19 at the time of her passing. Kaylee made her acting debut in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong as Jia Andrews, the orphaned deaf girl who forms a unique bond with Kong through American Sign Language. She reprised the role in 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. As one of the few deaf actors to lead a major Hollywood blockbuster, she was widely praised for bringing authentic deaf representation to the MonsterVerse. Her performance helped introduce ASL to millions of viewers and highlighted the importance of casting deaf actors in deaf roles. Before landing the role of Jia, she appeared in a 2018 commercial celebrating deaf culture alongside her family. Following Godzilla vs. Kong, she became an advocate for greater accessibility and representation in film. For now, friends and loved ones are sharing their condolences with Joshua, with a former teacher of Kaylee’s writing, “I remember her from when I taught her in elementary school at TSD. Such a brilliant and kind young girl. Seeing that she would have been a senior this fall just breaks my heart.” Another said, “I just met her last year and got to know her. She’s so sweet and very smart! She always sat next to me and chatted with me every morning. I’m so sad about the news. I loved her humble spirit. She didn’t deserve to leave this earth so soon.” Featured image credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock/Warner Bros. Post navigation Next storyPrevious story
