BREAKING: ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Star Kaylee Hottle Dead at 18 After Fatal Car Crash in Maryland

Deaf actress Kaylee Hottle, best known for playing Jia in Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, has died at the age of 18 following a car accident early Tuesday morning in Maryland.

According to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened around 3 a.m. in the Ijamsville area. Hottle was a passenger in a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a 19-year-old man when the vehicle left the road and struck a culvert. Authorities say excessive speed is believed to have been a major factor.

Hottle was airlifted to a trauma center, where she was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. The driver and another passenger in the car survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed the news in a Facebook livestream using American Sign Language. The Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, where Kaylee was a senior, also released a statement expressing deep sadness over the loss of one of their students.

Hottle, who was from an all-Deaf family, rose to fame after being cast as Jia, the young Deaf girl who forms a powerful bond with Kong. Her performance was widely praised for bringing authentic Deaf representation to the big-screen MonsterVerse franchise.

Tributes have already begun pouring in from fans, the Deaf community, and those who worked with her. Many are remembering the 18-year-old as a talented and bright young star whose career was only just beginning.