21/07/2026
🚨 In a heartbreaking tragedy, 18-year-old actress Kaylee Hottle—best known for playing Jia in the hit MonsterVerse blockbusters Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire—has passed away following a fatal car accident in Maryland.
Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed the tragic news to media outlets and delivered an emotional livestream in American Sign Language (ASL) to inform fans. He shared that he was traveling from Texas to Maryland after learning of the severe collision, noting that authorities informed him Kaylee's heart stopped while she was being rushed to the hospital.
Born into a multigenerational deaf family, Hottle captured hearts worldwide with her powerful portrayal of Jia, the young orphan who formed an emotional bond with King Kong through sign language. Outside her major Hollywood roles, she was a passionate advocate for deaf representation in entertainment, earning widespread praise as a prominent young performer in major studio filmmaking.