
South African model and actor Charlbi Dean suddenly died shortly before her film Triangle of Sadness became an international hit. The 32-year-old’s cause of death has been determined to be a bacterial infection spread to people in close contact with dogs or cats.
Her final film was a huge hit at Cannes, and her star was rising at the time of her death.
According to the New York State Medical Examiner, the official cause was “Bacterial (Capnocytophaga) Sepsis.” The bacteria is present in the mouth of dogs and cats and can spread to humans through bites or being in close contact with an infected dog’s or cat’s mouth. Dean was susceptible to infections following a 2009 car crash that required removing her spleen, an internal organ that helps fight off infections.
In Triangle of Sadness, Dean stars opposite Harris Dickinson (center, below) as a vapid influencer couple who get a free luxury yacht cruise in exchange for posting about the experience.

Check out the trailer below.
Image: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon