Charlbi Dean Kriek arrives at the premiere of 'Finch' on Nov.2, 2021, at the Pacific Design Centre in West Hollywood. AP

Dean died on Monday at a hospital in New York from, her representatives said on Tuesday. "It's devastating," the publicist told AFP via email, confirming a TMZ report that Dean had passed away on Monday from a sudden unexpected illness.

The celebrity website and Hollywood publication Deadline said that Dean, who was also a model, had died in New York City. Neither the representative nor the reports provided any details on the illness that caused her death.

Charlbi Dean poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Triangle of Sadness' at the Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2022. AP

Dean co-starred alongside Woody Harrelson and Harris Dickinson in Swedish director Ruben Ostlund's "Triangle of Sadness."

The sharp satire about class conflict won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year.

In the film, Dean plays Yaya, a model who is invited onto a cruise for the ultra-rich who find their status suddenly undermined by unexpected events. Dean was born on Feb.5, 1990 in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was also raised.

Before her turn in "Triangle of Sadness," she was best known for playing Syonide in The CW's DC Comics-based series "Black Lightning."

She also appeared in "Spud" (2010), "Don't Sleep" (2017) and "Blood in the Water" (2016).

In October 2008, she was hospitalized after surviving a car crash with fellow model Ashton Schnehage, according to the movie database site IMDb.

AFP / AP