Kaylee Hottle, the young actor known for playing Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, has died following a car crash in Maryland. She was 18.

Hottle was traveling as a passenger in a vehicle that left the road and struck a culvert in Ijamsville, Maryland, during the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to information released by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

Emergency personnel transported Hottle for medical treatment, but she died from her injuries. The driver was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while another passenger declined medical treatment.

Authorities said speed is believed to have been a factor, although the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.

Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death in a video shared through social media using American Sign Language. The Texas School for the Deaf, where she was a student, also released a statement mourning her death and offering support to students and members of its community.

Hottle came from a multigenerational Deaf family and was a native user of American Sign Language. She made her feature-film debut as Jia in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong.

Jia was introduced as a young Deaf orphan who formed a close connection with Kong and communicated with him through sign language. Hottle’s performance gave the film one of its most personal relationships and brought meaningful Deaf representation to a major Hollywood production.

She returned to the role in the 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, once again appearing alongside Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews. Hottle received a Saturn Award nomination for her performance in the sequel.

Before joining the MonsterVerse, Hottle appeared in commercials and later made a television appearance in Magnum P.I.

Following news of her death, actors and members of the Deaf entertainment community shared tributes remembering Hottle’s talent, warmth and impact. Her Godzilla co-stars were among those expressing their sadness and offering condolences to her family.

Kaylee Hottle was 18 years old.