Sidney Poitier news: Barack Obama and Halle Berry lead tributes after Oscar-winning actor dies 94
Actor has died aged 94
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Your support makes all the difference.Tributes have begun pouring in for Sidney Poitier who has died aged 94.
The Bahamian-American actor – best known for his films Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night – was the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor.
Poitier took home the prize for his role as Homer Smith in the 1963 drama Lilies of the Field.
Following the news of his death, which was announced by the Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, fans and fellow stars have begun remembering Poitier on social media.
The Independent’s Geoffrey Macnab paid tribute to Poitier, a singular actor whose profound influence and legacy will be everlasting.
Comedian and TV host Loni Love has remembered meeting Poitier in the wake of his death.
Love wrote in a Twitter post: “What a thrill it was to meet the legendary actor Sidney Poitier. . he made us all feel proud and was an inspiration to us in an industry that at times could not be welcoming.. thank you Mr. Poitier rest well.”
Comedian Sarah Cooper has remembered Poitier in a Twitter post.
Cooper – who achieved fame with her viral impressions of former US president Donald Trump – wrote on Twitter: “A brilliant actor, director and activist RIP Sidney Poitier.”
Whoopi Goldberg says Poitier ‘showed us how to reach for the stars'
Whoopi Goldberg has paid tribute to Sidney Poitier in a touching Twitter post.
“If you wanted the sky i would write across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high,” wrote the Sister Act star.
“To Sir... with Love. Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P. He showed us how to reach for the stars.”
She added: “My condolences to his family and to all of us as well.”
Tyler Perry has said his ‘heart broke’ after hearing news of Sidney Poitier’s death
Tyler Perry has remembered Poitier in a lengthy Facebook post paying tribute to the late actor.
“The grace and class that this man has shown throughout his entire life, the example he set for me, not only as a black man but as a human being will never be forgotten,” wrote the actor.
He continued: “There is no man in this business who has been more of a North Star for me than Sidney Poitier. I’ll never forget inviting him and Cicely [Tyson] to fly to South Africa with me. Selfishly, I wanted to hold them both captive for the hours long trip as I literally sat at their feet and listened to their wisdom and experiences. It was life changing.”
Cecily Tyson – the Emmy and Tony award-winning actor – also died in January last year.
Following news of Poitier’s death, fans are remembering the incredible story of how the late acting icon learnt to read.
In the 2004 biography of the star, Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon, author Aram Goudsouzian tells the extraordinary story of how Poitier learnt to read for his first ever foray into acting.
The extraordinary story of how Sidney Poitier learnt to read
Vampire Diaries star Paul Wesley remembers reading Poitier’s 2000 autobiography
Vampire Diaries star Paul Wesley has paid tribute to Sidney Poitier in a Twitter post shared with his 4.2 million followers.
“RIP Sidney Poitier. I read his autobiography years ago and it was quite the inspiration,” wrote the actor.
The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography by Poitier was published in 2000.
Mia Farrow calls Poitier the ‘best of the best’
Rosemary’s Baby star Mia Farrow paid tribute to Poitier on Twitter.
“Sidney Poitier – best of the best RIP,” wrote the actor.
Farrow accompanied her Twitter post with two images of Poitier, one in which he is being presented with the Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2009.
Fans are rewatching Sidney Poitier’s emotional and historic 1964 Academy Award win following the actor’s death.
In 1964, Poitier made history when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Lilies of the Field, making him the first Black and Bahamian man to win the prize.
Remembering Sidney Poitier’s historic Academy Award speech following actor’s death
Other actors nominated in the category included Albert Finney for Tom Jones, Richard Harris for This Sporting Life, Rex Harrison for Cleopatra and Paul Newman for Hud.
At the ceremony, Poitier was greeted with rousing applause and cheers from the audience, with the actor clearly elated by the win.
Earvin “Magic” Johnson pays tribute to Poitier as a “true gentleman” and “legend"
“RIP to a true gentleman, legend, and the first African-American Academy Award winner for Best Actor Sidney Poitier,” wrote the former LA Lakers player.
Magic Johnson also shared two photographs of himself together with Poitier.
Bollywood star Anil Kapoor pays tribute to his ‘childhood idol’ Sidney Poitier
Bollywood star Anil Kapoor has remembered the late actor in a touching Twitter post.
“Sidney Poitier, my childhood idol, lifelong inspiration & star of some of my favourite films... Forever your fan & admirer... Rest in Peace,” wrote Kapoor.
The Slumdog Millionaire star accompanied the post with a photograph of himself together with Poitier.
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