Kaylee Hottle, deaf ‘Godzilla’ actor, killed in car crash at 18

Kaylee Hottle, a deaf actor best known for her in two 鈥淕odzilla鈥� films, died in a car crash in Maryland early Tuesday morning, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said. She was 18.

Hottle was one of two passengers in the car when it went off the road and hit a culvert in Ijamsville before 3 a.m. The driver was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the other passenger declined medical treatment, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office. Excessive speed is believed to be a factor in the crash, which is under investigation, the sheriff’s office said.

Hottle was a native signer of American Sign Language, and her family members are also deaf. Her parents, Joshua and Ketsi Hottle, shared emotional video statements about her death on social media sites.

鈥淜aylee鈥檚 mom and four siblings are crushed,鈥� her father said in ASL in a post from an airport. 鈥淭hey are together at home, grieving. I am on my way to Maryland to bring Kaylee鈥檚 body back home.鈥�

Hottle鈥檚 heart stopped before she arrived at a hospital, transported by air from the scene of the accident, her father said. 鈥淰ery grateful for the 18 years we had together 鈥� and wish we had more,鈥� he said.

Joshua Hottle also reached out to the driver, described by the sheriff’s office as a 19-year-old Frederick man.

鈥淚 have forgiven you,鈥� her father said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 let this incident ruin the rest of your life.鈥�

鈥淚 still feel Kaylee is with us,鈥� her mother said in ASL in a post.

In 鈥淕odzilla vs. Kong鈥� and the sequel, 鈥淕odzilla x Kong: The New Empire,鈥� Hottle played an orphaned girl named Jia who sees beyond Kong’s threatening appearance and forms a special bond with the monster, communicating with him using sign language.

鈥淚鈥檓 so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee,鈥� her 鈥淕odzilla鈥� co-star Millie Bobby Brown posted on Instagram.

Co-star , who learned ASL to communicate with Hottle, told the pop culture website Junkee in 2021 that he and others were impressed by the young ingenue’s professionalism and her ability to quickly incorporate the director’s notes into her acting.

In a 2024 interview with The Associated Press, Hottle said through an interpreter that she hadn’t watched monster movies before she was cast in 鈥淕odzilla,鈥� so her father helped her understand the genre.

鈥淚 look up to a lot of people, but the one person I look up to, the few people I look up to mostly, are my parents and my sisters,鈥� Hottle said.

Hottle said that when she was working on the first film, she was a bit concerned about whether she would be able to return to her 鈥渘ormal life,” afterward.

鈥淧eople do recognize me at school, yes, but it’s not as bad as I thought it would be,鈥� Hottle said.

Hottle previously appeared in a 2021 television episode of 鈥淢agnum P.I.鈥� She was listed as appearing in the upcoming film 鈥淲hat Doesn鈥檛 Kill Us.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 so heartbroken. My heart goes out to her family during this unimaginable time,鈥� Alaqua Cox, her co-star in that film and fellow deaf actor, wrote on Instagram.

Other prominent deaf actors also shared messages of grief online.

鈥淚 am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle. May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity,鈥� Oscar winner Marlee Matlin wrote on Instagram.

Fellow Oscar winner Troy Kotsur, who starred in the film 鈥淐oda,鈥� wrote that Hottle’s death made him think of his own daughter, and reminded him not to take time for granted.

鈥淚 have no words to express on what happened this morning,鈥� Kotsur wrote, offering his 鈥渄eepest condolences鈥� to the Hottle family.

Officials with Texas School for the Deaf in Austin also announced Hottle’s death on Facebook, writing that counseling and support services would be available to her classmates and friends.

鈥淧lease keep Kaylee’s loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together,鈥� the school wrote. ___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. Lage reported from Ann Arbor, Michigan.