Kaylee Hottle was barely an adult when a car crash in California claimed her life last month. She played young Jia in the 2021 monster movie Godzilla vs. Kong. The role made audiences love her right away. Friends say they struggle to grasp the loss. She kept acting after the film, though picking up mostly smaller roles. The crash happened weeks before the news surfaced on July 21, 2026. Large news desks ran the story immediately.