‘Godzilla’ child star who died at 18 to be replaced by sister
By Tolulope Oke
The sister of late Godzilla actress Kaylee Hottle is set to take over her role in an upcoming film following the teenager’s death in a car crash at the age of 18.
Jasmine Hottle will make her onscreen debut in What Doesn’t Kill Us, replacing her late sister, who had been cast in the project before her death in July 2026.
The film’s writers and producers said the decision was made to honour Kaylee’s memory and preserve her legacy.
Andy Mingo, one of the film’s writers and producers, told PEOPLE that Jasmine’s involvement would allow the production to continue the work Kaylee had been preparing for.
“Like Kaylee, Jasmine is deaf, and her involvement allows us to honour Kaylee’s memory while continuing the work she was going to be part of,” he said.
Mingo described Kaylee’s death as an “unimaginable tragedy”, adding that the possibility of Jasmine taking over the role emerged during discussions about how to proceed with the project.
“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,” he added.
According to the film’s IMDb synopsis, What Doesn’t Kill Us follows a group of disabled friends who aspire to become superheroes and use their disabilities to their advantage.
The cast also includes Hawkeye actress Alaqua Cox, Maddie Haining and twin brothers Lucas and Elliott Woolrich, who co-wrote the film and are also starring in it.
Kaylee, who appeared in the Godzilla franchise, had been in discussions with the filmmakers and her father, Joshua, about the project since late 2024.
Following her death, Elliott Woolrich described the loss as heartbreaking, recalling that Kaylee had been a talented actress and basketball player.
He also noted an unsettling coincidence between her real-life age at death and the fate of her character in the film’s original script.