‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Stars Rebecca Hall and Millie Bobby Brown Pay Tribute to Kaylee Hottle: “You Will Be Deeply Missed” - The Hollywood Reporter

Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress known for the Godzilla vs. Kong franchise, died in a car crash on Tuesday at age 18, with her father confirming her death in American Sign Language in a Facebook video.
Hottle made her feature debut in 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong at age 9, playing Jia, a deaf, orphaned indigenous Iwi girl rescued on Skull Island by Kong.
She reprised the role in 2024's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, where Jia's relationship with anthropological linguist Dr. Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall, was central to the story.
Hall paid tribute on Instagram, writing she was "devastated" and that Hottle "will be missed," while co-star Millie Bobby Brown—who appeared in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong—shared a photo saying Hottle "will be deeply missed."
New Empire actor Dan Stevens posted a tribute photo with a broken heart emoji, and CODA Oscar winner Marlee Matlin wrote on Facebook that she was "absolutely gutted," honoring Hottle's beauty and talent.
Legendary Pictures, the studio behind the Monsterverse films, called Hottle a "cherished member of our film family" whose portrayal of Jia brought "extraordinary heart, humanity, and light," extending condolences to her family and friends.