- The iconic actor broke every last color line in entertainment, mirroring an audience watching a man watching history play itself out through him
Sir Sidney Poitier, the first black man to win a best actor Oscar for his performance in Lilies Of The Field, has died aged 94.
Poitier, a Bahamian-born American’s death was reported by media outlets in Bahamas on Friday, citing the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell.
The legendary Hollywood star made history at the Academy Awards in 1964 and went on to appear in dozens of films and TV shows.
Among his films were In The Heat Of The Night; To Sir, With Love; and Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner.
The first of those, released in 1967, saw him deliver the iconic line: “They call me Mister Tibbs.”
He also directed a number of projects, including Stir Crazy, Hanky Panky, and Ghost Dad.
Sir Sidney was widely seen as the first major black Hollywood star, with many of his movie appearances highlighting issues faced by black people at the time.
As well as being a decorated actor, he was also an international diplomat, serving as the Bahamian ambassador to Japan between 1997 and 2007, and to UNESCO between 2002 and 2007.
He was knighted in 1974, and then in 2009 he was given the highest civilian honour in the US by Barack Obama: the Presidential Medal Of Freedom.
Sir Sidney also served on the board of the Walt Disney Company in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Stars pay tribute to ‘landmark’, ‘gracious’ and ‘bold’ Sir Sidney
Star Trek actor George Takei was among the first to pay tribute to Sir Sidney, tweeting: “The star of Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner and Lilies of the Field, for which he won Best Actor, was a trailblazer who will be mourned by so many for whom he opened the very doors of Hollywood.”
Bob Iger, who ran the Walt Disney Company up until last year, said: “Sidney Poitier was the most dignified man I’ve ever met. Towering…gentle…passionate…bold…kind…altogether special.”
Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Oscar, has died at the age of 94. The star of “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” and “Lilies of the Field,” for which he won Best Actor, was a trailblazer who will be mourned by so many for whom he opened the very doors of Hollywood.— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 7, 2022
Former @disney board member Sidney Poitier was the most dignified man I’ve ever met. Towering…gentle…passionate…bold…kind…altogether special. pic.twitter.com/1ccPjqabkz— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) January 7, 2022
Whoopi Goldberg added her voice to the tributes, writing that “he showed us how to reach for the stars”.
James Bond and Marvel star Jeffrey Wright wrote: “Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love.”
Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love.
(📷Sam Falk/NYT) pic.twitter.com/5ZaKxxPdxw— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) January 7, 2022
In a heart-felt post on Facebook, movie mogul Tyler Perry said the news saw his “heart broke in another place.”
He added: “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.
“There is no man in this business who has been more of a North Star for me than Sidney Poitier.”