Deaf actress Kaylee Hottle, known for her role as Jia in "Godzilla vs. Kong," died at age 18 following a car crash in Frederick, Maryland. The incident occurred when the driver of the vehicle Hottle was traveling in veered off the road and into a roadside ditch on Tuesday.
Dispatchers responding to the crash reportedly struggled to find a sign language interpreter to inform Hottle's family, who are also deaf. Audio from the dispatch calls revealed the responders' efforts to locate an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, with one dispatcher stating, "This is a result of a vehicle accident, patient is unconscious. Are we able to check with the city to see if they have anyone that knows sign language."
Another dispatcher noted the difficulty in contacting the family, saying, "She was apparently up here visiting and the friend she is with doesn't have any contact for her family or any information... Does anyone have access to the interpreter?"
Hottle was found unconscious and her heart stopped en route to the hospital. Two other individuals in the vehicle survived the crash with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver, 19, sustained injuries to his right leg and rib, while a second passenger did not require treatment at the scene. An ambulance and emergency aircraft were dispatched, and Hottle was transported to a trauma center where she was pronounced dead.
Her father, Joshua Hottle, a deaf individual himself, confirmed his daughter's death in a tearful ASL livestream on Facebook, titled "I am taking a flight that I never would like to take." He described having to travel from Texas to claim his daughter's body and stated he learned of her passing after receiving a call from officials reporting her heart had stopped en route to the hospital.
Hottle gained recognition for her role as Jia in the 2021 film "Godzilla vs. Kong," where her character communicated with King Kong through sign language. She reprised the role in the 2024 sequel, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," earning a Saturn Awards nomination for best performance by a younger actor.
Co-stars and industry figures paid tribute to Hottle. Millie Bobby Brown, who starred alongside her in "Godzilla vs. Kong," shared a tribute on Instagram, writing, "I'm so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee." Rebecca Hall, who played Hottle's adoptive mother in the films, also posted a series of photos on Instagram, stating, "Devastated to hear this news. My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed Kaylee."
Both Hall and co-star Alexander Skarsgård learned ASL to communicate with Hottle on set. In a previous interview, Hottle spoke about her identity, saying, "I think some people see ASL and deafness as a barrier or a gift, but it's just a language, and deaf is just deaf. We can do many things, just not hear. We need more deaf actresses and crew in the industry for people to see and normalize it."