Kaylee Hottle (18), an actress who appeared in two “Godzilla” films, died early Tuesday in a car accident in the US state of Maryland, police confirmed.
Hottle and another passenger were in a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a man (19) when it veered off a two-lane highway and struck a culvert, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision,” the force said. Officers responded to the scene around 02:52 on Tuesday and are investigating the crash.
Hottle was taken to hospital where she was later pronounced dead. The driver sustained injuries not believed to be life-threatening, while the other passenger declined medical treatment.
The actress, who is deaf, played the major role of Jia in “Godzilla v Kong” and the sequel “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire”.
She was nominated in 2024 for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.
Her father, Joshua Hottle, shared news of her death in American Sign Language in a video posted to Facebook.
Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle was a student, said on social media that her death was a “tremendous loss”.
“Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time,” the school said.
“At this time, we have very limited information and ask that everyone respect the privacy of Kaylee’s family and refrain from sharing or speculating about the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
