Sidney Poitier Shared ‘Key Ingredient’ Behind The Success Of His 45-Year Marriage To Wife He Met While Filming

Feb 07, 2023 by apost team

Sidney Poitier is an American actor and filmmaker who rose to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s as a leading actor in Hollywood. Born on Feb. 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida, Sidney grew up in the Bahamas and later moved to New York City, where he pursued a career in acting. He made his film debut in the 1950 film "No Way Out" and went on to become one of the first Black actors to break the color barrier in Hollywood.

Sidney's talent, charm and magnetic personality quickly made him a sought-after actor, and he starred in a number of groundbreaking films such as "Blackboard Jungle," "The Defiant Ones," “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and "In the Heat of the Night," for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1967. He also received the Best Actor Oscar nomination for "Lilies of the Field" in 1963.

Sidney's contribution to film and the fight for racial equality and justice earned him numerous accolades and recognition. In 1964, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson and in 1974, he received the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. In addition to his acting career, Sidney has also been an influential filmmaker and director, creating films that explored social and political issues such as racism, discrimination and inequality.

Throughout his career, Sidney has remained humble and dedicated to his craft. He inspired new generations of actors and filmmakers with his timeless performances and his unwavering commitment to justice and equality. 

The legendary actor and filmmaker passed on Jan. 6, 2022, but his impact on Hollywood and the fight for racial equality will be felt for generations to come. His talent, charisma, and dedication to his craft continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.

Sidney battled through many struggles throughout his career, and this was echoed in his personal life as well. Sidney was married to his first wife, Juanita Hardy, from 1950 to 1965. The couple had four daughters together. The star described the breakup as “a long, painful, scarring period for all concerned.” Despite juggling the split and his busy career, Sidney remained a dedicated father and worked hard to maintain a strong relationship with his children.

After his divorce from Hardy, Sidney remained single for several years, focusing on his career and building his reputation as one of Hollywood's most respected actors. However, in 1976, he took on the role of Jason Higgs in “The Lost Man.” On the set, he met Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus, and the two soon became romantically involved. They wed in 1976 and remained married until Sidney's passing.

In 1998, Shimkus opened up in a PBS documentary on Sidney's life about what initially attracted her to her husband. She said:

"The thing that attracted me to him the most, I think, is his integrity and his honesty (and) his loyalty to his family. He's just an amazing human being. He's just a good, good, good person. … And he's cute too, yes! And he was especially gorgeous then."

In 2020, Sidney told Closer he learned one of life’s most important lessons from Shimkus. “There is one key ingredient my wife has helped me to recognize over the years, and that is the importance of articulating love for one another on a daily basis,” he said. Shimkus was also quick to praise her husband and added, “He is the most wonderful, generous, kind, honest man with the most integrity that I’ve ever known in my life.” 

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Sidney and Shimkus had two daughters – Anika Poitier and Sydney Tamiia Poitier – who both followed in their father’s footsteps and began acting. Sidney's love for his wife and children was a constant throughout his life. 

Sidney remained fiercely dedicated to his family. But like his career, in which he had certain expectations, so, too, did he hold his children to a high standard. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, he revealed his children "would be unlikely to say that I'm easy." He added his wife “would tell you that I'm a perfectionist to a degree and that I ask of others a certain kind of loyalty to and respect for relationships. My wife would say that, on occasion, I'm a little tough on the children.”

That toughness perhaps masked a spot in Sidney where he was most vulnerable. “Where I’ve invested most in the future of this planet is through the lives of six talented and intelligent young women, truly beautiful human beings, whom I burst with pride to call my daughters,” he told Closer.

Upon her father’s passing, Anika wrote a heartfelt tribute to her father. “In my sorrow I can hear my father's voice telling me to look to my family for solace. When I do, I see his love of family in my mother. I see him in my beautiful sisters,” she wrote. In her own tribute, Sydney wrote, “He blazed a trail through rough and hostile terrain so those coming behind him could have a bit more ease on the journey.”

Their love was clearly reciprocated by Sidney, who said when picking up a BAFTA Award in 2016:

“My wife, my children and my friends have been keeping me on my feet. To my family, my life force, I am nothing without you.”

Do you agree with Sidney Poitier’s secret about his long-lasting marriage? Are you just as tough on your kids as he was? Let us know, and don’t forget to pass this along to family and friends as well.