Sydney Poitier, who’s talented acting made him the first Black man to win the best actor Oscar, has died at age 94.
His death was confirmed by by Eugene Torchon-Newry, press secretary for the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, and no cause was given.
Poitier’s roles often highlighted prominent racial unjust, and he won an Oscar for the 1963 film ‘Lilies of the Field’ for the role of Homer Smith.
Speaking of his choice of roles, Poitier has said in the past that said that it was a conscious choice.
“It’s a choice, a clear choice,” Mr. Poitier said of his film parts in a 1967 interview. “If the fabric of the society were different, I would scream to high heaven to play villains and to deal with different images of Negro life that would be more dimensional. But I’ll be damned if I do that at this stage of the game.”
“To think of the American Negro male in romantic social-sexual circumstances is difficult, you know,” he said. “And the reasons why are legion and too many to go into.”
Tributes have began to flow in for Poitier on social media, with Oprah Winfrey joining the ranks and posting a photo of the pair together.
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“For me, the greatest of the “Great Trees” has fallen: Sidney Poitier. My honor to have loved him as a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher. The utmost, highest regard and praise for his most magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. I treasured him. I adored him. He had an enormous soul I will forever cherish. Blessings to Joanna and his world of beautiful daughters,” she wrote on Instagram.
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Former US President Barrack Obama also posted to Instagram, publishing a photo of himself, Poitier and his wife Michelle Obama.
“Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors. Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans,” he captioned the pic.
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