Daughter of French industrialist, Jean Raymond Barousse.
Korda created the stage name 'Kerima' (which means 'Noble' in Arabic) and then fabricated the exotic Javanese persona for her in order to promote the picture.
By the age of 23, she was fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian.
Best known for her role as the native girl in Carol Reed's An Outcast of the Islands. Since she had no prior acting experience, her role was entirely non-verbal.