Actress Kaylee Hottle, known for her starring role in two “Godzilla” films, died Tuesday in a car crash in Maryland at age 18, police said.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to ABC News that Hottle was one of two passengers in a vehicle involved in a fatal single-vehicle collision early Tuesday morning.
Hottle was the only person in the car to die. A 19-year-old man, who has not been identified, was driving the vehicle and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
Actress Kaylee Hottle attends the world premiere of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood on March 25, 2024.
Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
Speeding “is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision,” police said.
According to her IMDb, Hottle was born into a completely deaf family that spanned four generations on her father’s side.
The actress is best known for her role as Jia in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and the 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
In an interview with Good Morning America in March 2024, Hottle revealed what her classmates thought of her roles in Godzilla.
“They think it’s really cool,” she said. “They see one of their friends on the big screen, and he’s next to Kong, too.”
Kaylee Hottle as Jia in a scene from Godzilla vs. Kong.
Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures via AP
Hottle’s father, Joshua, said in a Facebook video Tuesday that he was flying to Maryland after learning of his daughter’s death.
“I’m on a flight I never want to be on,” he captioned the video, in which he used American Sign Language.
The Texas School for the Deaf, where Hottle attended, paid tribute to the 18-year-old on Tuesday.
The school said Hottle was enrolled there as a senior and described her death as a “huge loss” in a social media post.
“Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time,” the school wrote, adding: “Please keep Kaylee’s loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together.”
ABC News has reached out to Hottle’s representative and father for comment.