Child actor Kaylee Hottle killed in car crash - NBC News

What the report says

NBC News reported that Kaylee Hottle, the 18-year-old actor known for playing Jia in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” died after a crash early Tuesday near Frederick, Maryland. Citing officials, NBC said Hottle was a passenger in a 1995 Honda Accord that left a two-lane road in Ijamsville and struck a culvert shortly before 3 a.m.

According to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the car was driven by a 19-year-old man, and excessive speed is believed to have contributed to the collision. NBC reported that Hottle was taken from the scene to a trauma center, where she was pronounced dead. The driver was hospitalized with injuries described as not life-threatening, while another passenger declined treatment at the scene.

The Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, where Hottle was a senior, confirmed her death in a statement and said counseling would be available to students and staff. The school said the loss would deeply affect its community and extended support to her family, friends and classmates. NBC also reported that Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, announced her death in a Facebook video using American Sign Language, saying he was traveling from Texas to Maryland.

Hottle, who was deaf, had spoken in a 2024 Houston Chronicle interview about hoping her screen work would encourage other deaf young people to pursue acting. Actor Marlee Matlin also paid tribute on Instagram, saying she was “gutted” by Hottle’s death and honoring her talent and memory.