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Kaylee Hottle nous a quitté après un accident de la route RIP

par · 23 juillet 2026

Kaylee Hottle

Kahley

Kaylee Hotth1le (2007 or 2008 – July 21, 2026) was a deaf American actress who starred in the monster film Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and its sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). For the latter, she was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.

Early life

Kaylee Hottle was born in Atlanta, Georgia,[1][2] to an all-deaf family, with her father’s side having four generations of deaf relatives. She was fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).[3] She was of Korean descent through her mother.[4] She attended the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas,[5] where she competed in track and field.[6]

Career

Hottle’s acting career began with commercials. In 2017, at the age of nine,[7] she appeared in a commercial for the video relay service Convo.[8] She also appeared in other commercials,[3] as well as the informational project 10 Deaf Children: One Powerful Message, aimed at promoting support for the Deaf community in their pursuit of equal rights.[9]

Hottle as Jia in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (2024)

For the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong, casting director Sarah Halley Finn looked for a deaf actress for the deaf character Jia through a network of casting-directors and theaters,[3] and was guided to Hottle by an assistant director from the earlier film Kong: Skull Island (2017) who had seen her in a Convo commercial.[8] The film was Hottle’s feature-film debut, in which her character uses American Sign Language to communicate with the giant gorilla Kong. Starring actors Rebecca Hall and Alexander Skarsgård learned ASL so they and Hottle could communicate on set when not acting.[10] Also in 2021, she appeared in an episode of the action television series Magnum P.I.[2]

Hottle reprised her role as Jia for the 2024 film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,[11] for which she was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor at the 52nd Saturn Awards.[12]

Death

Hottle sustained injuries in a single-vehicle collision in Ijamsville, Maryland, on July 21, 2026, at the age of 18.[13] She was one of three occupants in a vehicle that veered off the road and struck a culvert. The driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while the other passenger declined help. Police said that « excessive speed » was believed to be a factor. Hottle was airlifted to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center by Maryland State Police, where she was declared dead. Her father announced her death in a Facebook video statement.[14][15] Speaking on her death, he said: « Very grateful for the 18 years we had together, and wish we had more ».[16] The following day, Hottle’s cause of death was confirmed as multiple blunt force injuries, and her manner of death was ruled an accident.[17]

Former co-stars Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Eiza González, and Millie Bobby Brown paid tribute to Hottle on social media, as did actress, author, and deaf advocate Marlee Matlin;[7][18] Godzilla production company Legendary Entertainment; and Royal National Institute for Deaf People associate director Teri Devine, who described Hottle as a « passionate advocate for the deaf community and deaf actors in Hollywood ».[19]

Filmography

Year Title Medium Role Notes
2021 Godzilla vs. Kong Film Jia [20]
Magnum P.I. TV series Joon Episode: « Texas Wedge »[20]
2024 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Film Jia [20]

References

  1.  Muir, Ellie (July 21, 2026). « Godzilla vs Kong star Kaylee Hottle dies aged 18 after car accident ». The Independent. Archived from the original on July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  2.  Evans, Greg (July 21, 2026). « Kaylee Hottle Dead: Godzilla Vs. Kong & Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire Star Was 18″. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  3.  Thompson, Avery (March 31, 2021). « Kaylee Hottle: 5 Things About The Deaf Actress Who’s Godzilla Vs. Kong‘s Breakout Star ». Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  4.  Jae-hee, Choi (July 22, 2026). « Korean American ‘Godzilla’ actress Kaylee Hottle dies at 18 in car crash ». The Korea Herald. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  5.  Knight, Drew (April 1, 2021). « Texas School for the Deaf student lands monster-sized role in Godzilla vs. Kong« . KVUE News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  6.  Shafer, Ellise (July 21, 2026). « Godzilla vs. Kong Star Kaylee Hottle Dies at 18″. Variety. Archived from the original on July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  7.  Aizin, Rebecca (July 21, 2026). « Kaylee Hottle’s Godzilla Costar Millie Bobby Brown Shares She Is ‘Devastated’ by Child Star’s Death at 18 ». People. ISSN 0093-7673. OCLC 794712888. Archived from the original on July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  8.  Nudo, Meredith (March 27, 2024). « Godzilla x Kong series’ Kaylee Hottle forging bright future in Hollywood ». Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  9.  « ‘Speak up and follow your dreams.’ Kaylee Hottle Gives Advice for the Hearing Impaired Ahead of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire« . Young Entertainment. March 27, 2024. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  10.  Lewis, Maria (March 25, 2021). « We Hung Out With Alexander Skarsgård On The Set Of Godzilla Vs Kong And It Was Wild ». Junkee. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  11.  Warren, Peter (March 25, 2024). « Kaylee Hottle, actor with Texas School for the Deaf roots, stars in Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire« . Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  12.  Hipes, Patrick (December 5, 2024). « Dune: Part Two, Fallout Lead Saturn Awards Nominations ». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  13.  Castro, Amanda; Miller, Joshua Rhett (July 21, 2026). « Kaylee Hottle, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Star, Dies at 18 ». Newsweek. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  14.  Clarke, Naomi (July 21, 2026). « Kaylee Hottle: Godzilla vs Kong actress dies in car crash at 18″. BBC News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  15.  Vlessing, Etan (July 21, 2026). « Kaylee Hottle, Godzilla vs. Kong Actress, Dies at 18″. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 22, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  16.  « Kaylee Hottle, deaf ‘Godzilla’ actor, killed in car crash at 18 ». AP News. July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  17.  Petski, Denise (July 22, 2026). « Kaylee Hottle Cause Of Death Revealed ». Deadline. Additional contributions by Greg Evans. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  18.  McKinley, Franklin (July 21, 2026). « ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Stars Rebecca Hall and Millie Bobby Brown Pay Tribute to Kaylee Hottle: « You Will Be Deeply Missed »« . The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 22, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  19.  « Kaylee Hottle: ‘Devastated’ Millie Bobby Brown leads tributes ». BBC News. July 22, 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  20.  Lee, Benjamin (July 21, 2026). « Godzilla v Kong actor Kaylee Hottle dies aged 18″. The Guardian. Retrieved July 21, 2026.

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