Kaylee Hottle’s older sister, Jasmine Hottle, will step in to complete the late Godzilla vs. Kong actress’ final movie following her death at age 18.
Andy Mingo, the writer and producer of What Doesn’t Kill Us, recently told People that Jasmine will be taking over the role that was initially intended for Kaylee. In July, Kaylee died in a car crash in Maryland, her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed in American Sign Language at the time.
“Like Kaylee, Jasmine is deaf, and her involvement allows us to honor Kaylee’s memory while continuing the work she was going to be part of,” Mingo said of the upcoming project.
“Kaylee’s passing was an unimaginable tragedy, and her loss is felt deeply by everyone involved with the project,” he continued. “When we began discussing how to move forward, the possibility of Jasmine taking on her sister’s role emerged as something particularly meaningful.”
What Doesn’t Kill Us, directed by Anna Campbell, follows a group of people with disabilities who aspire to be superheroes and use their disabilities to their advantage, rather than view them as limitations, as society has taught them to.
“For us, Jasmine stepping into Kaylee’s role isn’t simply a casting replacement. It’s an opportunity to preserve something of Kaylee’s legacy while telling a story that we hope will resonate with audiences far beyond the disability community,” the writer-producer added.
Kaylee, a deaf actress, made her onscreen debut in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, playing Jia. She later reprised her role in 2024’s Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.
