South African actress and model Charlbi Dean was set to become a star. She landed a leading role in the movie “Triangle of Sadness,” which is set to hit theaters in October, but it has already gotten rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival where it won the top award, the Palm d’Or.
Not only was her career doing well, but so was her personal life. She celebrated her 4-year anniversary with her boyfriend, South African model Luke Volker, on June 18, 2022. Actually, he wasn’t just her boyfriend. The couple got engaged in New York City in April, and Dean shared photos of the proposal on Instagram.
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It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Just a little over 2 months after celebrating their 4-year-anniversary as a couple, Dean died of an undisclosed illness. Her representatives simply called it an “unexpected sudden illness.” She died at a hospital in the same city where she got engaged. She was only 32 years old.
Just days after the tragic news, Dean’s fiancé turned to Instagram to share his thoughts on the tragedy. He said that he originally intended “to post a picture of Charlbi.” He explained that he didn’t “because it’s a bit hard.” Instead, he posted a video where he thanked his fans for all of their messages “and love.” He added, “I appreciate it, I really do. It’s just that I can’t really reply to them right now. But thank you guys. I appreciate it. I love you.”
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Volker isn’t the only one mourning the loss of Dean. The director of “Triangle of Sadness,” Ruben Ostlund, shared a picture of Dean on set and wrote, “Charlbi’s sudden passing is a shock and a tragedy. It is an honor to have gotten to know and work with her. Charlbi had a care and sensitivity that lifted her colleagues and the entire film crew. The thought that she will not be by our side in the future makes me very sad. At this difficult time, my thoughts go out to her loved ones, her family and her fiance Luke.”
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