Jasmine Hottle is keeping her sister Kaylee Hottle‘s memory alive.
After the Godzilla star died in a car accident at age 18 in July, her older sister is stepping in to complete Kaylee’s final role in What Doesn’t Kill Us, a superhero movie starring actors with real-life disabilities, writerAdam Mingo confirmed.
“Kaylee’s passing was an unimaginable tragedy, and her loss is felt deeply by everyone involved with the project,” Mingo told People in an interview published Nov. 11. “When we began discussing how to move forward, the possibility of Jasmine taking on her sister’s role emerged as something particularly meaningful.”
And including Jasmine, who like her sister is deaf, was more than a casting replacement, Mingo explained, because of her unique position to “preserve something of Kaylee’s legacy.”
Additionally, Jasmine’s ability to provide representation to her community was important to the filmmakers. In fact, Jasmine recently graduated as Valedictorian from Texas School for the Deaf, where Kaylee was a senior before she died of blunt-force injuries from the fatal single-vehicle collision in Ijamsville, Maryland, on July 21.
read
What Happened to Kaylee Hottle? What to Know About the Godzilla vs. Kong Star’s Tragic Death
As Mingo put it, Jasmine’s “involvement allows us to honor Kaylee’s memory while continuing the work she was going to be part of,” noting the team’s commitment to “authentic disability representation, both in front of and behind the camera.”
The forthcoming film will follow a group of friends who use their disabilities to follow their dream of becoming superheroes.
As such, the creative team and costars—including Marvel actress Alaqua Cox—are excited to share a story Kaylee would be proud of.
“We believe audiences are ready for a different kind of superhero story,” Mingo remarked, “one in which disability isn’t something to be overcome or erased, but an essential part of what makes these characters extraordinary.”
Before Kaylee’s death, the young star was building a promising career thanks to films like 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong and 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire alongside Rebecca Hall and Millie Bobby Brown.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
