Sidney is a moving documentary that explores the remarkable life of the genuinely talented and humble man, Sidney Poitier.
Sidney is a touching tribute to the late actor. He broke many barriers with the success of his career, first as an award-winning actor and then director and social activist.
Produced by Oprah Winfrey, Sidney is an intimate portrait. Extensive interviews with Sidney Poitier’s family, including daughters, wives, ex-wives, former lovers including Diahann Carroll, former business partner Barbra Streisand, former colleagues including Harry Belafonte, Robert Redford, and Louis Gossett Jr. and several friends including Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Spike Lee and, Lenny Kravitz.
Sidney Poitier had a remarkable life. He grew up in the Bahamas before moving at a young age to Florida to be with his family. Experiencing constant racism, he moved to New York in search of a better life. Landing a job as a dishwasher at a local diner in Manhattan, Poitier set about to learn and grow as much as humanly possible.
Sidney Poitier’s break into acting is quite remarkable. He saw a help-wanted ad for a local theater company in Harlem, learned a monologue, and auditioned without formal acting training. He wasn’t successful, but it was the first time Poitier tried his luck at acting. He loved the experience of being on stage, and from that moment, he found his passion and drive in life as we know the rest is history.
Sidney Poitier was the first African American man to win an Oscar for his outstanding performance in Lillies of the Field.
As we learn from the documentary, Poitier initially didn’t want to do the film. But after consideration decided to take on the role. A decision well made as he went down in history to win numerous awards. Poitier was an influence for generations to come, with many people of color choosing to follow his path, and we are glad that they did.
Sidney Poitier, as we learn, was very much a family man and loved his family. He continued to work to provide a good life for his children. There is archival footage of his family traveling the world and studying at some of the best schools. Many of these opportunities became available due to Sidney Poitier’s enduring success.
But he didn’t stop once we received the Oscar; he continued to take on roles that challenged and became more involved in political activism. This commitment to helping the US overcome many of its social injustices was spurred by Poitier putting himself front and center.
Poitier attended many press conferences and protests with Martin Luther King Jr. He spoke up when interviewed on many late-night shows. An infamous appearance on the Hollywood Roundtable where Harry Belafonte, Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Joseph Mankiewicz, James Baldwin, and David Schoenbrun discussed the Civil Rights March on Washington.
Sidney Poitier is an inspiration. He had a remarkable life where he succeeded against all odds. Poitier became the first African-American to win the best actor Oscar when there was a huge racial divide in America. He continued his fight for Civil Rights and was an incredible family man that adored his children.
Sidney is a touching tribute to a great artist who demonstrates the importance of never giving up and believing in yourself.
Sidney is currently available to view on Apple+.
