Sidney Poitier
Birth Name:
Sidney L. Poitier
Birth Place:
Miami, Florida, United States
Profession
Actor, Director, Producer, Soundtrack, Writer
Fast Facts
- Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1974, though he chooses not to use the title Sir Sidney Poitier
- For his performance in "The Lilies of the Field," became the first African-American to win an Oscar for Best Actor
- President Barack Obama awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor, in 2009
- Ranked No․ 22 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years․․․ 100 Stars" list for Male Legends
- Is the father or actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier
- After his parents sent him to live in the U․S․ with his brother, he worked as a dishwasher in New York, then decided to join the United States Army
- Quote: "I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father's life․"
- During the civil rights era, acted in films that explored racism and prejudice
- Usually portrayed the parts of faultless black characters in order to break previous stereotypes of African Americans in film
- Recorded an album with composer Fred Katz in which he recites passages from Plato called "Poitier Meets Plato․"
- Though he grew up with his family in the Bahamas, he was born prematurely in Miami while his parents were traveling, giving him U․S․ citizenship
- Was appointed Ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan in 1997
Awards
- 1958BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Nominated
- 1958Silver Berlin Bear - Best Actor:Winner
- 1959Oscar - Best Actor in a Leading Role:Nominated
- 1959BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Winner
- 1959Golden Globe - Best Actor - Drama:Nominated
- 1959Golden Laurel - Top Male Dramatic Performance:Nominated
- 1960Golden Globe - Best Actor - Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 1962BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Nominated
- 1962Golden Globe - Best Actor - Drama:Nominated
- 1963Silver Berlin Bear - Best Actor:Winner
- 1963NYFCC Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 1964Oscar - Best Actor in a Leading Role:Winner
- 1964Golden Globe - Best Actor - Drama:Winner
- 1964Golden Laurel - Top Male Dramatic Performance:Nominated
- 1965BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Nominated
- 1966Golden Globe - Best Actor - Drama:Nominated
- 1966Golden Laurel - Dramatic Performance, Male:Nominated
- 1967BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Nominated
- 1967Golden Laurel - Action Performance:Nominated
- 1968BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Actor:Nominated
- 1968Golden Globe - Best Actor - Drama:Nominated
- 1968Golden Laurel - Male Dramatic Performance:Nominated
- 1968Gold Medal - Favorite Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1968Gold Medal - Favorite Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1968Gold Medal - Favorite Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1968Prize San Sebastián - Best Actor:Winner
- 1968Etoile de Cristal - Best Foreign Actor (Meilleur acteur étranger):Winner
- 1969Fotogramas de Plata - Best Foreign Performer (Mejor intérprete de cine extranjero):Winner
- 1971Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1974Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1976Image Award - Best Director:Winner
- 1988Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1994Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1997CableACE - Actor in a Movie or Miniseries:Nominated
- 1997Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special:Nominated
- 1998Actor - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries:Nominated
- 1998Blockbuster Entertainment Award - Favorite Supporting Actor - Suspense:Nominated
- 1998Image Award - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series:Nominated
- 1998Golden Satellite Award - Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2000Black Reel - Network/Cable - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2000Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special:Winner
- 2021OFTA Film Hall of Fame - Character:Winner