‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Stars Rebecca Hall and Millie Bobby Brown Pay Tribute to Kaylee Hottle: “You Will Be Deeply Missed” - The Hollywood Reporter

What the report says

The Hollywood Reporter says members of the “Godzilla vs. Kong” film family are mourning Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress who played Jia in Legendary’s Monsterverse films. According to THR, Hottle died Tuesday in a car crash at age 18, and her father confirmed her death in a Facebook video delivered in American Sign Language.

Hottle made her feature-film debut in 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong,” portraying a deaf Iwi girl from Skull Island who forms a bond with Kong. She returned in 2024’s “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” where Jia’s relationship with Rebecca Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews became a central part of the story.

THR reported that Hall posted photos with Hottle on Instagram and said she was devastated by the news, sending condolences to Hottle’s family. Millie Bobby Brown, who appeared in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and “Godzilla vs. Kong,” also shared a tribute on Instagram, saying Hottle would be deeply missed. “The New Empire” actor Dan Stevens marked her death with a tribute image and broken-heart emoji.

Legendary Pictures said on X that Hottle brought “heart, humanity, and light” to the Godzilla and Kong films and described her as a cherished member of the production’s film family. Marlee Matlin, the Oscar-winning deaf actress known for “CODA” and “Children of a Lesser God,” also paid tribute on Facebook, remembering Hottle’s beauty and talent. The tributes underscore Hottle’s significance as a young deaf performer whose role brought visible deaf representation to a major studio franchise.