Kaylee Hottle, 'Godzilla vs. Kong' actress, dies at 18 in Maryland car crash

The accident

Kaylee Hottle, 18, was a passenger in a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a 19-year-old man when the vehicle left the road and struck a ditch in Frederick County, Maryland, early on 21 July 2026. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office responded at 2:52 a.m. local time. Hottle was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries; a second passenger refused medical treatment. Police said excessive speed is believed to have contributed to the collision, and an investigation is ongoing.

A rising star

Hottle, who was deaf, grew up in a multigenerational deaf family in Atlanta, Georgia. She began acting at age 9, appearing in commercials including a campaign for the video messaging app Glide. She made her film debut in 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong as Jia, an orphaned girl who communicates with King Kong through American Sign Language. She reprised the role in the 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, earning a Saturn Award nomination for best performance by a younger actor that same year. She also appeared in an episode of the Magnum P.I. reboot. The Texas School for the Deaf, where she was a senior, called her death "a profound loss" and asked for privacy for the 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.

Family and community response

Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed the death in an emotional Facebook livestream conducted entirely in ASL. He explained that he was in Texas when authorities called him about the crash, and a follow-up call informed him that his daughter's heart had stopped during the ambulance ride. He had to travel from Texas to Maryland to release her body. Her mother, Ketsi, posted a tribute in ASL with a selfie and the message: "Privilege to be your mom, Kaylee Hottle."

Privilege to be your mom, Kaylee Hottle.

Tributes from co-stars

Millie Bobby Brown, who starred alongside Hottle in both Godzilla films, shared a black-and-white photo on Instagram, writing: "I'm so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee." Marlee Matlin, the first deaf actress to win an Oscar, posted on X: "I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle. May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity." Shoshannah Stern, another deaf actress, wrote on Instagram: "I am heartbroken. My deepest sympathies to the Hottle family."

I'm so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee.

I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle. May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity.

Investigation

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash. No charges have been announced. The driver, a 19-year-old man, was hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening. The second passenger declined medical care. Authorities have not released the names of the other occupants.