‘Godzilla’ actress Kaylee Hottle, 18, dies after car crash in Maryland

Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress known for playing Jia in the “Godzilla” film franchise, has died after a vehicle accident in Maryland, according to officials. She was 18 years old.

The crash happened at about 2:52 a.m. Tuesday on Windsor Road in Ijamsville, about 40 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials said a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a 19-year-old man from Frederick went off the right side of the two-lane road and struck a culvert. Excessive speed is believed to have contributed to the crash.

Hottle, who was from Kyle, Texas, was taken to a trauma center, where she was pronounced dead. The driver was hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while another passenger declined medical treatment.

Hottle rose to fame as a child after playing Jia in the 2021 movie “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Her character, a young deaf girl who communicates through sign language, shared a close bond with Kong. Hottle returned for the 2024 sequel, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”

She was also a senior at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin.

“Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time,” the school said in a statement. A GoFundMe has been set up to support Hottle’s family.

The crash remains under investigation by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit.