Kaylee Hottle, Who Played Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, Dies Aged 18

Godzilla vs. Kong histrion Kaylee Hottle has died aged 18.

The deaf actress, who played Jia 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong and 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, was killed successful a car mishap connected Tuesday greeting successful in Frederick, Maryland, TMZ reported. Her father, Joshua Hottle, announced the quality successful a livestream connected Facebook via American Sign Language, portion traveling to Texas to assertion her body.

Hottle, from Atlanta, Georgia, comes from a multi-generational deaf family. Texas School for the Deaf, which Hottle attended, shared the quality successful a station connected Instagram.

"It is with profound sadness that we stock the heartbreaking quality that 1 of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed distant yesterday successful a car mishap successful Frederick, Maryland," reads the statement.

"Our hearts are with Kaylee's family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly hard time.

"At this time, we person precise constricted accusation and inquire that everyone respect the privateness of Kaylee's household and refrain from sharing oregon speculating astir the circumstances surrounding the accident.

"We admit this nonaccomplishment volition person a important interaction connected our TSD community. Counseling and enactment services are disposable for students and unit who whitethorn request them, with further enactment being provided for Kaylee's classmates and friends.

"Please support Kaylee's loved ones successful your thoughts arsenic we mourn this tremendous nonaccomplishment together."

Hottle had appeared successful a fig of commercials aimed astatine supporting deaf children earlier she landed a relation successful the MonsterVerse. She played Jia, 1 of the past remaining members of the Iwi people of Hollow Earth and Skull Island who was adopted by Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) and forms a kinship enslaved with Kong. The quality is deaf and communicates with the elephantine gorilla via ASL. She reprised the relation successful Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

In 2024, Hottle credited the video relay work app Convo with helping motorboat her movie career. She told Chron she utilized it to pass with chap formed and unit members and adjacent appeared successful a 2017 advertisement for the company.

“I had a transportation with Convo. They asked maine to beryllium successful a commercialized 1 day, and truthful I did that commercial,” she said. “And past the adjunct manager of [Kong: Skull Island] saw maine and they thought I matched the quality statement of Jia.”

Photo by Stewart Cook/Getty Images for Warner Bros.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].