Never knew this about Sidney Poitier… I have so much more respect for him now
Sidney Poitier, one of cinema’s greatest actors, is also known for his 45-year love story with Joanna Shimkus. They met on the set of The Slender Thread in 1965, when Poitier was already a star and Shimkus was a newcomer. Although Poitier was married at the time, he was immediately captivated by Shimkus. After a failed attempt to date another woman, he asked Shimkus out, and they quickly became inseparable.
Their first date, a long conversation at a Sunset Boulevard restaurant, marked the beginning of their relationship. Poitier knew he was in love, though he remained married to his first wife, Juanita Hardy, until their divorce was finalized. In 1976, Poitier and Shimkus married and had two daughters, Anika and Sydney, building a lasting family together.
