Kaylee Hottle, the Deaf actor who portrayed Jia in two Godzilla and Kong films, died at 18 after a single-vehicle crash in Ijamsville, Maryland. Police said the car struck a culvert early Tuesday and that excessive speed may have contributed. Her school, family and fellow actors have shared tributes publicly.

Thekabarnews.com—Kaylee Hottle, the young Deaf actor recognized internationally for portraying Jia in two films from Legendary and Warner Bros.’ Monsterverse franchise, died Tuesday following a single-vehicle crash in Frederick County, Maryland. She was 18.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said Hottle was one of two passengers in a 1995 Honda Accord that left Windsor Road in Ijamsville and struck a culvert shortly before 3 a.m. on July 21.

Emergency personnel airlifted Hottle to a trauma center, where medical staff pronounced her dead. The 19-year-old driver, a Frederick resident, received treatment for injuries that authorities described as non-life-threatening. The second passenger declined medical attention.

Investigators believe excessive speed contributed to the collision. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate and has not issued a final finding on the cause, according to AP News.

Hottle made her feature-film debut as Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021. She returned for the 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which earned approximately US$572.5 million worldwide, as quoted by The Numbers.

Jia, a Deaf orphan from Skull Island, develops a close connection with Kong and communicates with the giant creature through sign language. Hottle, a native American Sign Language user from a multigenerational Deaf family, brought lived experience to the role.

Her performance helped place ASL communication and a Deaf character at the center of a major international action franchise. She received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for The New Empire.

Hottle was also a senior at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin. The school announced that it would provide counseling and support services to students and staff following her death.

“Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time,” the school said, as quoted by WTOP News.

Millie Bobby Brown, who appeared with Hottle in Godzilla vs. Kong, shared a tribute on Instagram.

“I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee,” Brown wrote.

Oscar-winning Deaf actors Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur also expressed their condolences, along with Alaqua Cox, Hottle’s co-star in the forthcoming film What Doesn’t Kill Us.

Hottle had previously appeared in a 2021 episode of Magnum P.I. Her brief career nevertheless reached a worldwide audience and expanded the visibility of Deaf performers in mainstream cinema.