Charlbi Dean Kriek

Charlbi Dean Kriek (5 February 1990 – 29 August 2022) was a renowned South African model and actress, noted for her memorable roles in the Spud film series, the superhero drama series Black Lightning, and the Palme d'Or-winning dark comedy Triangle of Sadness. Born to Joanne Muller and Johan Kriek in Cape Town, she started her career in modeling at the age of six, appearing in commercials and catalogues before signing with the Alfa Model Management at twelve years old. As her career bloomed, Dean received her education through homeschooling and attended the Waterfront Theatre School in her hometown. The actress made her acting debut in the film version of Spud, reprising her role as Amanda in the sequel. Her filmography includes Don't Sleep (2017), An Interview with God (2018), and Black Lightning where she played the recurring character Syonide. In February 2020, she was cast in a critical role in Ruben Östlund's satirical film Triangle of Sadness, which earned accolades at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Dean's performance was heralded, with many critics considering it her breakthrough. On a personal note, Dean was engaged to fellow South African actor and model Luke Volker since 2018. However, the actress's life was tragically cut short when she died from bacterial sepsis on August 29, 2022, at 32. She had previously suffered serious injuries from a car crash, requiring the removal of her spleen which heightened her risk of severe infections.