Kaylee Hottle Explained

Kaylee Hottle
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2021–present

Kaylee Hottle (born) is a deaf American actress who stars in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and its 2024 sequel film .

Background

Hottle was born around . 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.[1] In 2017, she appeared in a commercial for the video relay service Convo.[2] She also appeared in other commercials, 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, and she was guided to Hottle by an assistant director from the earlier film who saw her in a Convo commercial. 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 .[5]

She attends the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Thompson . Avery . Kaylee Hottle: 5 Things About The Deaf Actress Who's 'Godzilla Vs. Kong's Breakout Star . . March 31, 2021 . March 28, 2024 .
  2. News: Nudo . Meredith . 'Godzilla x Kong' series' Kaylee Hottle forging bright future in Hollywood . . March 27, 2024 . March 28, 2024 .
  3. News: Staff . 'Speak up and follow your dreams.' Kaylee Hottle Gives Advice for the Hearing Impaired Ahead of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire . Young Entertainment . March 27, 2024 . March 28, 2024 .
  4. News: Lewis . Maria . We Hung Out With Alexander Skarsgård On The Set Of 'Godzilla Vs Kong' And It Was Wild . . March 25, 2021 . March 28, 2024 .
  5. News: Warren . Peter . Kaylee Hottle, actor with Texas School for the Deaf roots, stars in Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire . . March 25, 2024 . March 28, 2024 .
  6. News: Knight . Drew . Texas School for the Deaf student lands monster-sized role in 'Godzilla vs. Kong' . kvue.com . . April 1, 2021 . March 28, 2024 .