Kaylee Hottle

Kaylee Hottle
Born2007 or 2008 (age 16–17)[1]
OccupationActress
Years active2021–present

Kaylee Hottle (born 2007 or 2008) is a deaf American actress who stars in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and its 2024 sequel film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. For the latter, she was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.

Background

Hottle was born around 2007 or 2008.[1] She was born to an all-deaf family, with her father's side having four generations of deaf relatives, and is fluent in American Sign Language.[2] In 2017, she appeared in a commercial for the video relay service Convo.[1] She also appeared in other commercials,[2] as well as the informational project 10 Deaf Children: One Powerful Message, aimed at promoting support for the Deaf community in their pursuit of equal rights.[3]

For the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong, the casting director Sarah Halley Finn looked for a deaf actor for the film's deaf character Jia through a network of casting directors and theaters,[2] and she was guided to Hottle by an assistant director from the earlier film Kong: Skull Island who saw her in a Convo commercial.[1] The film was Hottle's feature-film debut. The film's starring actors, Rebecca Hall and Alexander Skarsgård, learned ASL so they and Hottle could communicate on set when not in character.[4] In the film, her character uses ASL to communicate with the giant gorilla Kong. Hottle reprised her role as Jia for the 2024 film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.[5] For the 2024 film, she was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor (see 52nd Saturn Awards).[6][7]

She attends the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Nudo, Meredith (March 27, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' series' Kaylee Hottle forging bright future in Hollywood". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Thompson, Avery (March 31, 2021). "Kaylee Hottle: 5 Things About The Deaf Actress Who's 'Godzilla Vs. Kong's Breakout Star". Hollywood Life. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  3. ^ Staff (March 27, 2024). "'Speak up and follow your dreams.' Kaylee Hottle Gives Advice for the Hearing Impaired Ahead of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire". Young Entertainment. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Lewis, Maria (March 25, 2021). "We Hung Out With Alexander Skarsgård On The Set Of 'Godzilla Vs Kong' And It Was Wild". Junkee. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Warren, Peter (March 25, 2024). "Kaylee Hottle, actor with Texas School for the Deaf roots, stars in Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  6. ^ "The 52nd Annual Saturn Awards Nominations". saturnawards.org. Saturn Awards. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 5, 2024). "'Dune: Part Two', 'Fallout' Lead Saturn Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  8. ^ Knight, Drew (April 1, 2021). "Texas School for the Deaf student lands monster-sized role in 'Godzilla vs. Kong'". kvue.com. KVUE. Retrieved March 28, 2024.