TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress who won international recognition for her role as Jia in the Godzilla film franchise, has died at the age of 18 following a car accident in Maryland, United States.
As reported by ABC News, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Hottle was one of two passengers involved in a fatal single-vehicle crash early Tuesday morning. She was the only occupant who died. The 19-year-old driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while investigators believe excessive speed was a contributing factor in the collision.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through both Hollywood and the deaf community, where Hottle was widely admired as a rising talent who helped expand on-screen representation for deaf actors.
Born into a family with four generations of deaf relatives on her father's side, Hottle embraced American Sign Language (ASL) from an early age. Before entering film, she appeared in commercials, including a public service campaign for the video messaging platform Glide, a service widely used by members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Hottle made her breakthrough in 2021 when she portrayed Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong. The character, a deaf girl living on Skull Island, forms a unique bond with Kong through sign language, becoming one of the emotional centers of the film. She reprised the role in the 2024 blockbuster Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Beyond the MonsterVerse, Hottle also appeared in an episode of the rebooted television series Magnum P.I., playing the character Joon.
Speaking during a March 2024 appearance on ABC's Good Morning America, Hottle reflected on the response she received from classmates after starring alongside one of cinema's most famous giant monsters.
"They think it's super cool," she said. "They're seeing one of their friends on the big screen, and it's alongside Kong too."
According to TMZ, Hottle's father, Joshua Hottle, learned of the accident while in Texas before traveling to Maryland. In a livestream delivered in American Sign Language, he shared that authorities initially informed him his daughter had been involved in a serious crash before later confirming that she died after suffering cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital.
"I am taking a flight that I never would like to take," Joshua wrote alongside a video announcing his journey to identify and claim his daughter's body.
The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was enrolled as a senior, also paid tribute to the actress, describing her passing as a tremendous loss for the school community.
"Our hearts are with Kaylee's family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time," the school said in a statement. "Please keep Kaylee's loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together."
Although her acting career was still in its early stages, Kaylee Hottle became one of the few deaf performers to take on a major role in a global blockbuster franchise. Her portrayal of Jia resonated with audiences not only because of her emotional performance, but also because it introduced millions of viewers to authentic deaf representation in mainstream cinema.
Her death marks the loss of a promising young actress whose influence reached well beyond the screen, inspiring deaf children and demonstrating that sign language and inclusive storytelling belong in some of Hollywood's biggest productions.
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