Kaylee Hottle, deaf ‘Godzilla’ actor, killed in car crash at 18 - CNN

What the report says

CNN, citing an Associated Press report and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, reported that Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actor known for her role in the recent “Godzilla” films, died after a car crash in Maryland early Tuesday. She was 18. Authorities said Hottle was a passenger in a vehicle that left the road and struck a culvert in Ijamsville before 3 a.m.

According to the sheriff’s office account reported by CNN, the driver was hospitalized with injuries described as not life-threatening, while another passenger did not seek medical treatment. Investigators said speed is suspected as a factor, and the crash remains under investigation. Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, said in an American Sign Language video shared online that she was airlifted from the scene but died before reaching the hospital.

Hottle was a native ASL signer from a deaf family. In “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” she played Jia, a girl who communicates with Kong through sign language and forms a central emotional connection with the character. The role made Hottle a visible young performer in mainstream franchise filmmaking and part of broader representation for deaf actors on screen.

Family members, co-stars and deaf performers posted tributes after her death. CNN reported messages of grief from Millie Bobby Brown, Alaqua Cox, Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, among others. The Texas School for the Deaf in Austin also acknowledged Hottle’s death and said support services would be available for classmates and friends.