Oprah Winfrey was discussing her profound affection for trailblazing actor Sidney Poitier — a longtime friend and mentor to her — when she was overcome by emotion during an interview on the upcoming documentary “ Sidney,” a life-spanning portrait.
REMOVES REFERENCE TO THE BAHAMAS - FILE - Actor Sidney Poitier poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. on June 2, 2008. Poitier, the groundbreaking actor and enduring inspiration who transformed how Black people were portrayed on screen, became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. He was 94.
“Sidney,” which Apple TV+ will premiere Sept. 23, arrives eight months after the death of Poitier, the groundbreaking actor who paved the way for countless Black actors in Hollywood and single-handedly revolutionized how they were portrayed on screen. Directed by Reginald Hudlin, “Sidney” was made with the cooperation of Poitier’s family. Much of it had been completed before he died in January at the age of 94, including his interview with Winfrey.
Winfrey has said her life was irrevocably altered when she saw Poitier become the first Black performer to win best actor at the Academy Awards . A life in show business suddenly became attainable to her. They later met for the first time when Winfrey’s talk show was taking off. Poitier was one of the few who could understand what she was going through as a Black entertainer.
“Whatever pressure I was putting on myself basically doubled,” Hudlin said. “There was a disappointment to know that he would never see it, but I was glad at a time when everyone wanted to touch him and connect with him, we would have this movie.”