Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire star Kaylee Hottle has shared her hopes of helping Deaf people feel represented on the big screen.
Hottle has reprised the role of Jia Andrews in the upcoming chapter in the MonsterVerse. Ahead of the film hitting cinemas later this month, the actress sat down with Digital Spy to discuss Deaf representation and her return to the franchise after 2021's Godzilla vs Kong.
"Jia being a Deaf person in this world, it's so amazing to see her on the big screen," the star said. "In general, I hope that Deaf people see her and they think the same thing, that she is as amazing as I think she is."
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Addressing her character's relationship with King Kong, Hottle explained the connection between Jia and the giant gorilla as they both long for a place to belong.
"I think Jia grew up not having anybody and now she's able to connect with King Kong, they have such a caring relationship for each other," Hottle explained.
"Both of them are able to find their own paths and where they're from and where their home is, but that also brings them together. They are able to get to that place they want to call home."
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While she's open to return as Jia in a potential third movie, Hottle also opened up on finding it easier working with the green screen on her second MonsterVerse round.
"When you're acting with King Kong, you have to use the green screen of course and so my experience the first time, I felt a little taken aback, I didn't know what to do," she said. "But with the second movie, it went much smoother and I knew how to use the green screen a lot better."
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is released in cinemas on March 29.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
