Kaylee Hottle was just 18 years old when a car crash in California took her away last month. She played young Jia in the 2021 monster movie Godzilla vs. Kong. The role earned her a quick following. 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. National newsrooms ran the story in short order.