'Godzilla vs. Kong' Actress Kaylee Hottle Dead at 18

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Update

7/22/2026 11:48 AM PT -- Kaylee Hottle died from blunt force trauma ... TMZ has confirmed.

11:12 AM PT -- TMZ has obtained dispatch audio of the car crash.

9:22 AM PT -- Authorities say Kaylee Hottle was riding in a 1995 Honda Accord when the driver veered off a Maryland road and slammed into a roadside ditch early Tuesday.

Kaylee Hottle -- a deaf actress best known for playing Jia in two 'Godzilla' films -- is dead.

Her father, Joshua Hottle, tells TMZ ... his daughter was killed in a car accident early Tuesday morning in Maryland.

Joshua also shared the tragic news in a nearly 23-minute-long social live stream ... explaining in ASL that he had to fly from Texas to claim her body.

Joshua says he learned Kaylee was involved in a serious car accident ... and officials called him shortly after this initial shock to inform him her heart stopped on the way to the hospital.

Robert Downey Jr. Daughter's TV Payday Revealed

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Robert Downey Jr.'s daughter Avri Downey is getting into the family business ... she's set to film a new television show ... and we found out how much she's being paid.

TMZ obtained the minor's contract Avri signed for her role in an upcoming show, "Oswald," and it calls for her to be paid $1,246 for one day of shooting.

The deal was signed last year, and her character was listed as "Family Photo Kid" ... so it sounds like a smaller role.

Avri's daily rate is a far cry from her dad’s reported $100 Million salary in "Avengers: Doomsday" ... but, hey, we all gotta start somewhere.

Wendy Williams Guardian Settles Legal Battle With A&E Over Documentary

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Wendy Williams' guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, settled the legal battle with A&E Television Networks over the former talk show host's documentary, TMZ has learned. 

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Sabrina and A&E said they resolved all issues and the lawsuit was being dropped. 

In the original lawsuit, Sabrina demanded the release of the documentary be halted, which did not happen, and for additional damages. She claimed Wendy was dealing with “very serious medical issues” that rendered her “effectively incapacitated.” 

Terry Dubrow to Vicki Gunvalson $100K Says I Didn't Inherit My Wealth!!!

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Terry Dubrow wants Vicki Gunvalson to shut up about how he and Heather Dubrow made their money ... and thinks he can squash the speculation with a not-so-friendly wager.

We got Terry outside Steak 48 in Beverly Hills Monday, and he had a lot to say about "The Real Housewives of Orange County" star running her mouth.

Here's the deal ... VG's saying Terry and Heather didn't work for their wealth, but actually inherited it from Terry's late brother, Kevin.

But the Dubrows say Vicki's full of it.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' Kayle Hottle Photo Shows Mangled Car From Deadly Crash

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Here's the aftermath of the fatal car crash that killed Kaylee Hottle ... the front of the vehicle is a mangled wreck ... and it looks like the result of a heavy impact.

Kaylee was a passenger in the 1995 Honda Accord ... and in our photo, the car is being loaded into the back of a flat-bed tow truck. The hood is smashed up, the hubcaps are missing and the tires appear damaged ... possibly from a fire.

The passenger side door is hanging off at an angle ... seemingly unable to close properly ... and there's damage to a side-view mirror.

Bella Hadid's Ex-Adan Blindsided by Claim She's Single

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Bella Hadid's ex Adan Banuelos was apparently the last to know their relationship was over ... 'cause TMZ has learned the horse trainer was blindsided to learn the supermodel is single.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... as far as Adan was concerned, he and Bella were still in a relationship ... and he only learned about their updated relationship status when we dispelled rumors that she was dating her friend's brother, Nathan Lacy.

In our story Monday, we revealed Bella is single ... and our sources say Adan didn't know that was the case until he saw our reporting.

It sounds like Adan had reason to be caught off guard ... according to our sources, the pair had been spending plenty of time together recently.

We're told Bella and Adan recently took a trip together to Aspen, where they went out to dinner several times and attended multiple rodeos ... including one in Snowmass on June 29 and another in Silver City on July 1.

We obtained a photo of them breaking bread on June 29 ... and they were also spotted at Aspen hotspot Kemo Sabe on July 4.

Jennifer Aniston Watcha Got Next??? Moves on After Jennette McCurdy Project Stalls

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Jennifer Aniston is no longer focused on Jennette McCurdy’s television adaptation of her hit memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died" ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the show is still being worked on and scripts are being written. However, we're told at some point Jennifer decided to move on to other projects due to scheduling conflicts.

The show has had a rocky development ... last year it almost fell apart.

Kimora Lee Simmons Hell No, I Don't Want Tim To Have Primary Custody ... Filing Had Clerical Error

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Kimora Lee Simmons has no plans to give estranged husband Tim Leissner primary custody of their son ... 'cause TMZ has learned a court filing suggesting otherwise was simply a clerical error.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Kimora has enjoyed full custody of 11-year-old Wolfe since the couple separated in 2020, and nothing has changed on her end.

We're told Kim's response to Tim's divorce petition, which checked the box for Tim to have primary legal and physical custody, was incorrect and appears to have been the result of a clerical error.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' Kaylee Hottle Passenger in Fatal Car Wreck

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Kaylee Hottle was riding in a 1995 Honda Accord when the driver veered off a Maryland road and slammed into a roadside ditch early Tuesday ... with excessive speed believed to be a factor ... TMZ has learned.

Authorities in Maryland say Kaylee -- the "Godzilla vs. Kong" actress -- was rushed to a trauma center, where she was later pronounced dead.

Two others were in the vehicle at the time of the collision ... the 19-year-old driver suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening, while another passenger declined treatment at the scene.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office says deputies and fire and rescue personnel responded to the single-vehicle crash around 2:52 AM. The crash remains under investigation.

Kaylee Hottle Dispatch Audio She's Unconscious, We Need ASL Interpreter

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Kaylee Hottle was unconscious after the car she was riding in crashed in Maryland ... and first responders scrambled to find an American Sign Language interpreter and contact her family ... according to dispatch audio obtained by TMZ.

Listen to the clip ... dispatchers say the 18-year-old actress was unconscious after the Honda Accord she was a passenger in veered off a Maryland roadway and crashed.

Dispatchers order an ambulance and an emergency aircraft, which landed on a baseball field near the crash scene.

Early on, it's clear dispatchers know Kaylee is deaf ... requesting someone who knows sign language to report to the scene.

The person behind the wheel was Kaylee's friend ... dispatchers say she was visiting them for the weekend, and they have no clue how to get in touch with her parents.

Kimora Lee Simmons Estranged Hubby Can Have Primary Custody of Our Son

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11:31 AM PT -- Kimora Lee Simmons has no plans to give estranged husband Tim Leissner primary custody of their son ... 'cause TMZ has learned a court filing suggesting otherwise was simply a clerical error.

Kimora Lee Simmons looks like she wants her estranged husband Tim Leissner to have primary custody of their son ... which is interesting, because Tim asked for joint custody when he pulled the plug on their marriage.

Kimora just filed her response to Tim's divorce petition ... and while she agrees "that "irreconcilable differences" led to their split ... she splits from Tim on the issue of legal and physical custody of 11-year-old Wolfe.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kimora checked the box for Tim to have primary legal and physical custody ... even though Tim asked for joint legal and physical custody in his original petition.

Kimora is also asking to terminate the court's ability to award any support to Tim, and she also checked the box to request that spousal support be paid to her. She also wants him on the hook for her legal fees stemming from the divorce process.

Shia LaBeouf Leans on GF Amid Scary Stalker Situation

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Shia LaBeouf hightailed it out of New Orleans after his run-in with an alleged stalker ... he's back in Los Angeles, and showing some love to his girlfriend Nicole Mumphrey at the airport.

TMZ obtained video showing the actor packing on the PDA with Nicole in the baggage claim area on Saturday morning at LAX ... after Nicole flew in from Atlanta.

Check out the clip ... Shia walks up behind Nicole at the carousel and wraps his arms around her and gives her a little peck on the cheek. The couple then engage in a sweet little chat while waiting for Nicole's luggage.

Chicago Cubs Anthem Slapper I'm a Vet Who Got Too Emotional

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A Chicago Cubs fan who went viral after smacking a younger man in the back of the head for sitting during the national anthem is breaking his silence ... and he tells us the video's missing a key ingredient.

Here's the deal ... over the weekend, an older gentleman in a Cubs jersey barked at a younger fan in front of him to get off his butt for the Star-Spangled Banner at Wrigley Field ... and when the person kept sitting, the Cubs fan smacked him in the head.

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TMZ tracked down the Cubs fan -- Robert "Bob" Chavez -- and he tells us he lost his cool in the moment because he is a Vietnam veteran who had numerous buddies killed in the war.

Bob says he told the young man his veteran status and war stories when asking him to stand ... but the guy just kept sitting down, so Bob let loose a slap.

NBA Star Anthony Edwards Scores in Child Support Battle With Ex Over 1-Year-Old Daughter

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NBA star Anthony Edwards scored a victory in his never-ending battle with his baby mama, Ayesha Howard, after a Georgia judge ruled on child support for their 1-year-old daughter, TMZ has learned. 

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, a Georgia judge ordered the Minnesota Timberwolves star to pay $3,222 a month in child support. 

In 2023, Anthony signed a 5-year deal with the Timberwolves worth over $200 Million. Ayesha’s monthly income was listed as zero.