The cause of death has finally been revealed for Kaylee Hottle, who passed away on Tuesday. The deaf actress and rising star played Jia in two Monsterverse films, namely Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
What is the update on Kaylee Hottle?
It’s now been confirmed that Kaylee Hottle, 18, died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in a car crash, reports Deadline. The crash took place on Tuesday morning in Frederick, Maryland.
Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death. The death was also ruled an accident following an initial autopsy on Wednesday morning.
According to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department, Hottle was in a Honda Accord that went off the road at high speed and crashed into a ditch. The driver was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The main reason for the crash remains under investigation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kaylee Hottle’s father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death during a social media livestream. In the video, he announced the news in American Sign Language (ASL) and said he had flown from Texas to Maryland to bring his daughter’s body home.
Hottle began her acting career back in 2017 by featuring in commercials. Four years later, she made her big debut in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. In the movie, she played Jia, a deaf character who had a special ability to communicate with Kong using sign language.
In 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Hottle’s role of Jia was fleshed out even further. In fact, she eventually bagged a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. Co-stars Alexander Skarsgård and Rebecca Hall also admired her work.
She also appeared in the 2021 TV series Magnum P.I. Hottle’s next project was going to be an upcoming superhero comedy movie, titled What Doesn’t Kill Us.
