Father of Godzilla actor Kaylee Hottle forgives driver after fatal Maryland crash
Joshua Hottle says he has forgiven the driver involved in the collision that killed his 18-year-old daughter, urging him not to let the incident destroy his life. The deaf actress died after a car crash in Ijamsville early Tuesday morning.
Father's Message of Forgiveness
The father of actress Kaylee Hottle has publicly forgiven the driver involved in the car crash that claimed his daughter's life, telling him in an emotional message: "Don't let this incident ruin the rest of your life."
Joshua Hottle announced the death of his 18-year-old daughter during a Facebook livestream conducted in American Sign Language on Tuesday. The young actress, known for playing Jia in the MonsterVerse films, died following a single-vehicle collision in Ijamsville, Maryland, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
"I am on my way to Maryland to bring Kaylee's body back home," Joshua Hottle said in his message. "Very grateful for the 18 years we had together — and wish we had more."
Despite the devastating loss, Hottle revealed he had spoken with the 19-year-old driver from Frederick who was behind the wheel. "I have forgiven you," he said directly to the young man.
Details of the crash
Kaylee Hottle was one of two passengers in a 1995 Honda Accord that left the road and struck a culvert shortly before 3 a.m. on Tuesday. She was airlifted from the scene, but her heart stopped before she reached hospital, according to her father.
The driver was taken to hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. The second passenger declined medical treatment. Authorities believe excessive speed may have contributed to the crash, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Rising star in Hollywood
Hottle gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Jia, a deaf orphan who forms a unique bond with Kong, in director Adam Wingard's 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong. The film grossed $470 million worldwide during the pandemic era, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2021 despite its simultaneous release on HBO Max.
She reprised the role in this year's sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which became the highest-grossing film in the MonsterVerse franchise with $572.5 million worldwide, surpassing the previous record held by Kong: Skull Island.
In the films, Jia communicates with Kong using sign language and is taken in by Dr Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall. Hottle's authentic portrayal represented a significant step forward in deaf representation, coming at a time when Hollywood has faced criticism for historically casting hearing actors in deaf roles rather than authentic deaf performers.
Both Kaylee and her father were deaf and came from a multi-generational deaf family. American Sign Language is used by an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 people as their primary language in the United States and Canada.
Tributes pour in
The entertainment industry and deaf community have mourned Hottle's sudden death. Her Godzilla co-star Millie Bobby Brown wrote on Instagram: "I'm so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee."
Alaqua Cox, Hottle's co-star in the upcoming film What Doesn't Kill Us and a fellow deaf actor, said: "I'm so heartbroken. My heart goes out to her family during this unimaginable time."
Oscar winner Marlee Matlin paid tribute, writing: "I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle. May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity."
Troy Kotsur, who starred in CODA — the 2022 Best Picture winner that marked an important milestone for deaf representation in Hollywood — said Hottle's death made him think of his own daughter and reminded him not to take time for granted. He offered his "deepest condolences" to the Hottle family.
School mourns senior student
The Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, where Hottle was a senior, also mourned her death. The institution, established in 1856 as the oldest continuously operating public school in Texas, serves approximately 500 students in grades Pre-K through 12.
The school said counselling and support services would be made available to her classmates and friends. "Please keep Kaylee's loved ones in your thoughts as we mourn this tremendous loss together," the school said.
Hottle's mother also paid tribute to her daughter in a video, saying: "I still feel Kaylee is with us."
In a 2024 interview with The Associated Press, Hottle had spoken about her approach to the role and her inspirations. "I look up to a lot of people, but the one person I look up to, the few people I look up to mostly, are my parents and my sisters," she said through an interpreter.
She had previously appeared in an episode of Magnum P.I. and was listed as part of the cast of the upcoming film What Doesn't Kill Us.
Joshua Hottle told TMZ he was travelling from Texas to Maryland to bring his daughter's body home. "Kaylee's mom and four siblings are crushed. They are together at home, grieving," he said in a post filmed at an airport.
