Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle dies aged 18

Actress Kaylee Hottle has died at the age of 18.

The young star, best known for playing Jia in the 2021 blockbuster, died in a car crash in Maryland on Tuesday, according to reports from TMZ.

Kaylee's father, Joshua Hottle, announced his daughter's death during a Facebook Live stream using American Sign Language (ASL). He revealed that he had travelled from Texas to claim her body following the tragic accident.

In the livestream video post, Joshua wrote, "I am taking a flight that I never would like to take."

He told followers that officials contacted him shortly after the crash to inform him that Kaylee's heart had stopped while she was being taken to hospital.

Kaylee, who was a deaf actress from Atlanta, Georgia, began her career appearing in commercials as a child.

She made her big-screen debut in 2021 after being cast as Jia in Adam Wingard's Godzilla vs. Kong, starring alongside the likes of Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown and Brian Tyree Henry.

In the action sci-fi film, Kaylee's character communicates with King Kong through sign language and lives on Skull Island alongside Rebecca Hall's character, Dr Ilene Andrews.

She reprised the role in the 2024 sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Kaylee also appeared as Joon in an episode of CBS' Magnum P.I. reboot in 2021.