Millie Bobby Brown Mourns Loss of ‘Godzilla’ Co-Star Kaylee Hottle

“Stranger Things” actor Millie Bobby Brown is remembering her late “Godzilla vs. Kong” co-star Kaylee Hottle after her tragic death.

Kaylee’s father announced the actor’s passing in a Facebook livestream on July 21 following a fatal car crash in Maryland, according to TMZ. In the video, Kaylee’s father explained that Kaylee initially survived the crash, but that her heart stopped when being transported to the hospital. She was 18 years old. 

Millie took to Instagram to share her condolences, writing on her story, “I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed, Kaylee.” The actor shared her words over a black-and-white still of Kaylee in her role as Jia from the “Godzilla” films.

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Praise from ‘Godzilla’ Co-Stars

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Kaylee and Millie met on the set of 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” where Millie appeared as Madison Russell. Kaylee, who comes from a multi-generational deaf family, portrayed deaf child Jia in the film, using her sign language abilities to communicate with King Kong. The film also starred a roster of big names, including Rebecca Hall as her adoptive mother, “True Blood’s” Alexander Skarsgård, “Friday Night Lights’” Kyle Chandler, and “Atlanta’s” Bryan Tyree Henry.

While doing press for “Godzilla vs. Kong,” Rebecca commented on how Kaylee helped her learn ASL and how their bond formed an emotional anchor for the film in an interview with Fandango. She also went on to call Kaylee a “brilliant actor,” as well as “very funny” and “fun to hang out with.” 

Co-star Alexander Skarsgård also had praise for the actor. In an interview with Junkee, Alexander exclaimed that she “steals the movie” and was “so professional,” celebrating “how comfortable she is in front of the camera and how quickly she takes notes from the director Adam (Wingard)” for her first feature film. 

Following the success of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” Kaylee joined co-star Rebecca Hall in the 2024 sequel “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire” where she reprised her role as Jia.

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A Devastating Loss For The Deaf Community

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Hottle was most well-known for her role as Jia from the “Godzilla” movies, but also appeared in a 2021 episode of “Magnum P.I.” She got her acting start when she was only 9 years old, starring in a commercial for video messaging app Convo, which was developed for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, according to People.  

Kaylee attended the Texas School for the Deaf, which also posted a touching tribute to the star on their Facebook page, noting that their “hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.” The post continued to share its condolences to the broader school community, offering counseling and support services.

According to People, Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin, who has advocated for the deaf community in Hollywood, also took to Instagram to share her grief, saying she was “absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle. May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity” while noting that she had met the late actor last year.