Tributes pour in for groundbreaking actor Sidney Poitier

Tributes to Sidney Poitier poured successful from Hollywood and astir the satellite pursuing the death Thursday of the groundbreaking histrion and taste icon. Poitier, who was the archetypal Black histrion to triumph an Academy Award for champion pb show and the archetypal to beryllium a apical box-office draw, was 94.

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“For implicit 80 years, Sidney and I laughed, cried and made arsenic overmuch mischief arsenic we could. He was genuinely my member and spouse successful trying to marque this satellite a small better. He surely made excavation a full batch better.” — Actor Harry Belafonte, successful a statement.

“It was a privilege to telephone Sidney Poitier my friend. He was a gentle antheral and opened doors for each of america that had been closed for years. God bless him and his family.” — Denzel Washington, successful a statement.

“My grant to person loved him arsenic a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher. The utmost, highest respect and praise for his astir magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. I treasured him. I adored him. He had an tremendous psyche I volition everlastingly cherish.” — Oprah Winfrey, connected Instagram.

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“Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, revealing the powerfulness of movies to bring america person together. He besides opened doors for a procreation of actors.” — Former President Barack Obama, connected Twitter.

“The grace and people that this antheral has shown passim his full life, the illustration helium acceptable for me, not lone arsenic a Black antheral but arsenic a quality being volition ne'er beryllium forgotten. ... All I tin accidental is convey you for your life, convey you for your example, and convey you for your unthinkable gift. But astir of all, convey you for being consenting to stock YOU to marque america each better.” — Actor and manager Tyler Perry, connected Facebook.

“Sidney was my inspiration, my guiding light, my friend.” — Actor Morgan Freeman, connected Twitter.

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“This is simply a large one. No words tin picture however your enactment radically shifted my life. The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer energy you brought to your roles showed america that we, arsenic Black folks, mattered!!! It was an honor...” — Actor Viola Davis, connected Instagram.

“Sidney was much than conscionable 1 of the finest actors successful our history. ... With unflinching grandeur and poise — his singular warmth, depth, and stature on-screen — Sidney helped unfastened the hearts of millions and changed the mode America saw itself.” — President Joe Biden, successful a statement.

“Dearest Sidney, you were a gentle elephantine successful life, successful politics, and successful the movies. You volition stay successful our hearts and connected our screens forever. May you remainder successful peace.” — Singer and histrion Barbra Streisand, connected Twitter.

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"If you wanted the entity I would constitute crossed the entity successful letters that would soar a 1000 feet high.: To Sir… with Love. Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P. He showed america however to scope for the stars. — Actor and TV property Whoopi Goldberg, connected Twitter.

“Sidney Poitier, your past sunset with america is the dawn of galore generations rising successful the way of airy you blazed. We volition ever clasp you successful our hearts and everlastingly talk your name.” — Director and histrion Debbie Allen, connected Twitter.

“The past clip I saw Sidney was astatine a play people successful LA. I saw him crossed the country and walked toward him with my manus retired to shingle his. Ignoring my hand, helium opened some of his arms wide and embraced maine warmly. Then helium fto maine spell and held maine astatine arm’s magnitude staring maine successful my eyes and said successful his signature cadence, ‘I excavation what you do, my man.’ I astir fainted.” — Actor Don Cheadle, successful a statement.

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“Today, the satellite has mislaid an icon, and I person mislaid 1 of my dearest friends, the large Sidney Poitier. He was a antheral of grace, integrity and idiosyncratic I agelong admired. He is successful a people by himself.” — Berry Gordy, Motown founder, successful a statement.

“One of the top actors of his generation. We each person our Poitier era. Growing up successful the ’70s I’d person to accidental that possibly ‘Uptown Saturday Night’ was the archetypal movie I ever watched. ... Rest successful peace. And convey you.” — Musician Questlove, connected Instagram.

“Few artists person contributed much to the Civil Rights Movement than Sidney Poitier. As an actor, helium was determined not to beryllium defined by his race, but helium pointedly refused roles that perpetuated antagonistic stereotypes. His charm and grace, some onscreen and off, helped to unfastened hearts and minds arsenic the federation challenged segregation and discrimination.” — Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, successful a statement.

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"He single-handedly changed the look of the Leading Man. I had the grant to convey him successful idiosyncratic and, successful his kindness and grace, helium said, “You’re a starring man, Lou, due to the fact that you’re a bully actor.” — Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, connected Twitter.

“Sir #SidneyPoitier, your superb airy volition ne'er dim. The doors you opened and paths you created volition proceed to marque mode for those with a dream. You showed the satellite that with imaginativeness and grace, each is possible.” — Musician Lenny Kravitz, connected Twitter.

“Sidney Poitier is rather virtually the crushed wherefore I wanted to go an artist. ... There are precise fewer radical that I quake successful the beingness of. Rest easy, GOAT. ” — TV histrion Keith Powell, connected Twitter.

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