Godzilla Actress Kaylee Hottle’s Sister Will Step in for Her in Unfinished Final Movie After Her Death at 18

The late actress, who played Jia in the ‘Godzilla’ franchise, was set to star in ‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ before her death at age 18 on July 21, 2026

Kaylee Hottle’s legacy will live on through a special tribute in her final film.

The late Godzilla actress’ older sister, Jasmine Hottle, is stepping into the role originally intended for Kaylee in the upcoming feature film What Doesn’t Kill Us, the film’s writer and producer Andy Mingo confirms to PEOPLE.

“Like Kaylee, Jasmine is deaf, and her involvement allows us to honor Kaylee’s memory while continuing the work she was going to be part of,” Mingo tells PEOPLE.

“Kaylee’s passing was an unimaginable tragedy, and her loss is felt deeply by everyone involved with the project,” he adds. “When we began discussing how to move forward, the possibility of Jasmine taking on her sister’s role emerged as something particularly meaningful.”

What Doesn’t Kill Us follows people with disabilities who discover that the very characteristics society has taught them to view as limitations may actually be extraordinary strengths. The film explores themes of identity, resilience and what it means to be a hero, with an ensemble cast made up entirely of actors with disabilities.

Among the cast members are Alaqua Cox, a Deaf actress known for her roles in Marvel’s Echo and Hawkeye, and Maddie Haining.

“As filmmakers, we’ve been committed from the beginning to authentic disability representation, both in front of and behind the camera,” Mingo tells PEOPLE. “We believe audiences are ready for a different kind of superhero story, one in which disability isn’t something to be overcome or erased, but an essential part of what makes these characters extraordinary.”

He continues, “For us, Jasmine stepping into Kaylee’s role isn’t simply a casting replacement. It’s an opportunity to preserve something of Kaylee’s legacy while telling a story that we hope will resonate with audiences far beyond the disability community.”

Kaylee died at age 18 following a car accident in Frederick, Md., on July 21. Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death to TMZ, which first reported the news. He later shared a video on Facebook announcing the heartbreaking news in American Sign Language.

The actress was best known for playing Jia, the young Deaf girl who forms a special bond with King Kong, in the MonsterVerse franchise. Born into a Deaf family, Kaylee was part of a multigenerational Deaf community. Both of her parents are Deaf, and four generations of her father’s family are members of the community, according to The Houston Chronicle.

Her path to Hollywood began after she appeared in a 2017 advertisement for the American Sign Language translation app Convo. The commercial caught the attention of producers behind the Godzilla franchise, who felt she matched the description of Jia.

Kaylee made her feature film debut in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, starring alongside Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Eiza González. She reprised the role in 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, continuing Jia’s story as the adoptive daughter of Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews.

Outside of the franchise, Kaylee appeared in a 2021 episode of Magnum P.I. and earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Younger Performer in a Film for her work in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Via: People