Fans Were Shocked That "Triangle Of Sadness" Star Charlbi Dean Was Excluded From The Oscars’ In Memoriam Segment

David Mack
·5 min read
Director Ruben Östlund, third from left, with the cast of Triangle of Sadness at the Oscars on Sunday. 

Director Ruben Östlund, third from left, with the cast of Triangle of Sadness at the Oscars on Sunday.

Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images
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The Academy Awards were held on Sunday night in Los Angeles, where Everything Everywhere All at Once won big.

But as is often the case, Oscar producers are facing backlash for who they chose to include and exclude from the annual In Memoriam segment, which pays tribute to the film industry professionals who died in the past year.

This year, though, the producers failed to include one of the key stars of Triangle of Sadness, one of the 10 movies that competed for the Best Picture prize.

Charlbi Dean at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Charlbi Dean at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Laurent Koffel / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Charlbi Dean died in August at age 32, just months after the film won the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

The South African actor died in New York City of bacterial sepsis linked to the removal of her spleen in 2009 following a car accident.

Her death shocked the cast and crew of Triangle of Sadness, a satirical look at the über-wealthy set on a luxury yacht, in which Dean played a celebrity model and influencer.

Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection
Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection

“Charlbi's sudden passing is a shock and a tragedy,” director Ruben Östlund wrote on Instagram after her death. “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,” Östlund added. “The thought that she will not be by our side in the future makes me very sad.”

Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection
Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection

Östlund was among the guests at Sunday’s awards show, having been nominated for Best Director.

The film’s stars — including Harris Dickinson and Dolly de Leon — were also seated in the audience.

And while the movie didn’t take home any Oscar statues, it was Dean’s exclusion from the In Memoriam segment that upset many viewers.

To many people, Dean’s absence was all the more shocking given that she played a leading role in a film with multiple nominations.

According to Washington Post reporter Jada Yuan, guests at the party for Triangle of Sadness distributor Neon were also upset by the snub.

The segment was introduced by John Travolta, who became visibly emotional as he paid tribute to his late Grease costar Olivia Newton-John.

As Lenny Kravitz played “Calling All Angels” on the piano, the faces of figures like Raquel Welch, James Caan, and Angela Lansbury appeared on the screen.

Lenny Kravitz performs during the In Memoriam segment on Sunday.

Lenny Kravitz performs during the In Memoriam segment on Sunday.

Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Viewers were encouraged to visit an In Memoriam section of the Oscars website, where Dean was included.

The website also honored Anne Heche, Gilbert Gottfried, and Seinfeld and Toy Story star Estelle Harris, among many others.

Every year, Academy organizers receive hundreds of requests for people's loved ones to be featured in the televised segment. An executive committee representing every branch of the Academy then meets to make the final decisions on who to include in the limited available time.

Despite Dean not being included in the final telecast, fans vowed to remember her performance forever.

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