Sidney Poitier

Date of Birth: February 20, 1927

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: January 6, 2022

Biography

Sidney Poitier was a groundbreaking Bahamian-American actor, film director, and author. Born on February 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida, while his Bahamian parents were visiting, Poitier grew up in the Bahamas before moving to New York City at the age of 16. He joined the American Negro Theater, which paved the way for his illustrious career in Hollywood. Poitier broke numerous racial barriers in the film industry. He became the first African American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Lilies of the Field” in 1963. His career is marked by a series of groundbreaking performances in films such as “The Defiant Ones,” “A Raisin in the Sun,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Poitier also directed several films, including “Buck and the Preacher” and “Stir Crazy.” Beyond acting, he served as a diplomat for the Bahamas, contributing to international relations.

5 Interesting Facts about Sidney Poitier

1. Sidney Poitier was the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.

2. He served as the Bahamian ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2007.

3. Poitier received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 from President Barack Obama.

4. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974.

5. Poitier authored several autobiographies, including “The Measure of a Man,” which became a bestseller.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Sidney Poitier

1. “I am the me I choose to be.”

2. “We all suffer from the preoccupation that there exists… in the loved one, perfection.”

3. “So much of life, it seems to me, is determined by pure randomness.”

4. “I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father’s life.”

5. “I always wanted to be someone better the next day than I was the day before.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Sidney Poitier’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $25 million.

Children

Sidney Poitier had six children. He had four daughters with his first wife, Juanita Hardy: Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, and Gina. He had two daughters with his second wife, Joanna Shimkus: Anika and Sydney Tamiia.