Godzilla vs Kong actress Kaylee Hottle dies in car crash aged 18

Her school says the crash occurred in the US state of Maryland

US actress Kaylee Hottle. Screenshot taken from a video released by Reuters.

US actress Kaylee Hottle, best known for playing Jia in the Godzilla vs Kong films, has died in a car crash in Maryland aged 18, the BBC reports.

Hottle, who was deaf, portrayed the young orphan Jia in Godzilla vs Kong (2021) and reprised the role in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).

Her father Joshua Hottle confirmed her death in a Facebook video using American Sign Language.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said the single-vehicle crash happened near Ijamsville at about 2:50 local time on Tuesday, with excessive speed believed to have been a factor.

A 19-year-old driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while another passenger declined treatment.

The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle studied, said it shared the news with "profound sadness" and urged people to respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation about the crash.

Warner Bros paid tribute to the actress on X, while Hottle's performance in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire had earned her a Saturn Award nomination for Best Younger Performer in a film, according to the BBC.