Kaylee Hottle starred in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong as Jia and continues her role in the latest Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Jia, portrayed by Kaylee, breathed humanity into the movie as Kong and Godzilla teamed up to save the human race in this movie, released on March 29, 2024.
Talking about her role in an interview, Hottle said, “The monsters have their own world, and we as humans are trying to understand that world; we’re trying to find that path that connects us.”
“So there’s Jia, she’s also a human so she’s able to connect to those people in the human world with her (Hollow Earth) tribe as well.”
Let’s learn about Kaylee Hottle’s life outside the movie world.
Key Takeaways
- Both of her parents are deaf.
- Kaylee studies at TSD.
- Hottle’s co-star learned ASL to communicate with her.
Kaylee Hottle Is A Fourth-Generation Deaf
The 17-year-old American actress was born in Georgia to parents Ketsi Carlson and Joshua Hottle.
She comes from an all-deaf family, with four generations of deaf relatives on her father’s side.
Kaylee’s father, Joshua, is an entrepreneur from Minnesota. Her mother, Ketsi, originally from Korea, moved to the USA after being adopted by a Wisconsin family.
Additionally, Ketsi received her education at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf.
Kaylee Studies At Texas School for the Deaf
Growing up, the Deaf actress learned American Sign Language (ASL) as her primary language.
Later, she enrolled at the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD). In 2021, Hottle got some monster-sized attention during her appearance in Godzilla vs. Kong.
Talking about her school via an interpreter, Hottle said, “It’s a great school for Deaf students to go to. I have Deaf teachers, and everyone is able to communicate with me through sign language.”
Furthermore, the 17-year-old actress enjoys going to school, where she has friends.
“It’s my home,” she said. “I have everything there. I have my friends, my education and I really enjoy going to school. When I leave school, I miss school because that’s my identity. That’s who I am. My friends are at school. My place is at school. But when I leave, I bring back all of those things that I’ve learned and I just want to be back home because I truly enjoy going to school.
Godzilla vs. Kong Co-star Learned ASL To Communicate With Her
Alexander Skarsgard, a Swedish actor who played Dr. Nathan Lind, reportedly learned ASL so he could communicate with Hottle on set.
Talking to Junkee, Skarsgard said, “It’s her first movie. It’s fascinating how comfortable she is in front of the camera and how quickly she takes notes from the director Adam [Wingard]. He’ll explain something and she’ll be like, ‘Got it, got it.’ Then she’ll just do it and everyone’s like, ‘The f— … how did she?'”
“She’s so professional,” he continued, appreciating his co-actor. “There’s so much going on on her face, her expression, and the subtleties of that is fascinating to watch,” he added.
FAQs
What Is Kaylee Hottle’s Ethnicity?
Kaylee Hottle is half Caucasian and half Korean.
How Many Siblings Does Kaylee Have?
Kaylee has one older deaf sister and three younger hearing siblings.
