LOS ANGELES: The ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ family is mourning the passing of the young franchise star Kaylee Hottle.
Actor Rebecca Hall, who featured as anthropological linguist Dr Ilene Andrews along with Kaylee in 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ and 2024’s ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’, paid her tribute on Instagram and wrote, “Devastated to hear this news. My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed Kaylee”.
She also shared heartwarming pictures that appeared to be from the sets of the ‘Godzilla’ films, showing Hall and Kaylee together.
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Likewise, actor Millie Bobby Brown, who was also a part of ‘Godzillla vs Kong’, shared that she feels “devastated” on hearing the news. “I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee”, Brown wrote on Instagram.
Kaylee Hottle, a deaf actress, marked her feature debut at the age of nine with ‘Godzilla vs Kong’. She portrayed a deaf, orphaned indigenous Iwi girl, Jia, who was rescued by Kong on Skull Island.
Kaylee reprised her character in ‘Godzilla x Kong’, where her relationship with Dr Ilene Andrews took centrestage alongside her ancestral roots to the Iwi tribe. Legendary Pictures, the production company behind the ‘Godzilla’ films, paid an emotional tribute to the late actor.
“We are devastated by the tragic passing of Kaylee Hottle. Through her unforgettable portrayal of Jia, Kaylee brought extraordinary heart, humanity, and light to Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse. She was a cherished member of our film family, and her kindness, warmth, and remarkable talent touched everyone fortunate enough to work alongside her. Our hearts are with her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her during this unimaginably difficult time. Rest in Peace, Kaylee”, the X post read.
We are devastated by the tragic passing of Kaylee Hottle. Through her unforgettable portrayal of Jia, Kaylee brought extraordinary heart, humanity, and light to Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse. She was a cherished member of our film family, and her kindness, warmth, and… pic.twitter.com/bDb74lgmHn
— Legendary (@Legendary) July 21, 2026
Kaylee Hottle lost her life in a car accident on Tuesday. She was 18. The news of her demise was announced by her father, Joshua Hottle, via a Facebook livestream using American Sign Language. He also confirmed her death to TMZ, saying that she died in a car accident in Maryland and that he was flying from Texas to claim her body, as per Variety.
Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a senior, also confirmed the news in a statement on social media. Hottle and her father are both deaf and come from a multi-generational deaf family.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland,” Texas School for the Deaf’s post read.
“Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time. At this time, we have very limited information and ask that everyone respect the privacy of Kaylee’s family and refrain from sharing or speculating about the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
Hottle is best known for playing Jia, a deaf orphan who forms a close bond with Kong and is taken in by Dr Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), in 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ and 2024’s ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.’ For the latter, Hottle was nominated for the Saturn Award for best performance by a younger actor. (ANI)
