Kaylee Hottle was ready to grace the big screen once more.
Two days after the Godzilla vs. Kong actress died in a car accident in Maryland, screenwriter Andy Mingo shared that the teen had been preparing to star in his upcoming superhero film.
“We were truly looking forward to getting to work with someone so talented,” Mingo told TMZ in a July 23 statement, “and are heartbroken by her death.”
Hottle had signed on in 2024 to appear in What Doesn’t Kill Us, a movie that will focus on a group of friends with disabilities who dream of becoming superheroes by using their disabilities to their advantage.
For her part, Hottle’s character was written as a deaf person whose other senses, like pattern recognition, are heightened, according to the writers.
Mingo’s co-writer Anna Campbell reflected on how Hottle—a deaf actress—was making a difference in Hollywood.
“Kaylee was the kind of person who has been so spectacular and has made such an important impact on the industry,” she shared. “She didn’t let her disability stop her and that’s exactly what we hope to perpetuate with a film like this. This is a great loss and we are devastated.”