Charlbi Dean Biography

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Charlbi Dean Kriek was a model and actor.

She began modeling at age six and was homeschooled from the age of 14 so that she could fully pursue her career, which included traveling to foreign countries.

In October 2008, Charlbi survived a car crash that nearly took her life. Her lung collapsed and she also broke several ribs and a wrist, while her spleen was removed. She underwent life-saving surgery and took a break from her career for awhile.

Two years later she made her film acting debut in the South African film Spud (2010) starring John Cleese, which was nominated for several South African Film Awards. She was billed as Charlbi Kriek and reprised her role in the sequel, Spud 2: The Madness Continues (2013).

She played a supporting role in Blood in the Water (2016), this time billed as Charlie Dean Kriek, followed by a starring role in the thriller Don't Sleep (2017), acting alongside Jill Hennessy and Cary Elwes.

In 2018, she became a semi-regular on the CW series Black Lightning, playing Syonide in nine episodes.

Charlbi played a starring role as Yaya in Triangle of Sadness (2022), which won the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. She was scheduled to appear at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022 to promote the film, but on August 29, 2022, Charlbi died at a hospital in New York City of undisclosed causes. It's believed she had a viral lung infection. She was 32 years old.

Filmography:

Triangle of Sadness (2022)
Porthole (2018)
An Interview with God (2018)
Don't Sleep (2017)
Blood in the Water (2016)
Spud 2: The Madness Continues (2013)
Death Race 3: Inferno (2013)
Spud (2010)