Sidney Poitier dead at 94 Poitier was the first Black winner of a lead-acting Oscar
FILE - Actor Sidney Poitier arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 2, 2014. Arizona State University has named its new film school after Poitier. The university, which is expanding its existing film program into its own school, says it has invested millions of dollars in technology to create one of the largest, most accessible and most diverse film schools. The Sidney Poitier New American Film School will be unveiled at a ceremony on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. (Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP, File) (Dan Steinberg)
Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Academy Award for best actor, has died at age 94, according to multiple published reports.
His death was reportedly confirmed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell.
Cause of death was not immediately announced.
In 1963, Sidney Poitier made a film in Arizona, “Lilies of the Field.” The performance led to a huge milestone: He became the first Black winner of a lead-acting Oscar.
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