Who is Joanna Shimkus? All about Sidney Poitier's wife and their 45-year marriage

Legendary actor Sidney Poitier passed away on January 7, 2022, at the age of 94. The news of his death was confirmed to Eyewitness News Bahamas by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell:

"We've lost a great a Bahamian and I've lost a personal friend."

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper also issued an official statement regarding the icon’s demise while speaking to Guardian Nassau:

"Sadness that he would no longer be here to tell him how much he means to us, but celebration that he did so much to show the world that those from the humblest beginnings can change the world and that we gave him his flowers while he was with us."

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Sidney Poitier created history by becoming the first Bahamian-American and Bahamian actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.

He is known for his roles in classics such as Lilies of the Field, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, The Defiant Ones, Porgy and Bess, A Raisin in the Sun and Paris Blues, among many others.

The Miami-native also earned a Grammy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a British Academy Film Award, the Academy Honorary Award, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award and the BAFTA Fellowship Award.

On a personal front, Poitier was married to Juanita Hardy between 1950 and 1965. The pair share four children together. The actor tied the knot for the second time in 1976, marrying actress Joanna Shimkus. The couple stayed together for 45 years until Poitier’s passing.

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Joanna Shimkus earned a "Star of Tomorrow" nomination for her role in The Virgin and the Gypsy

Joanna Shimkus is a former actress and model (Image via Joan Adlen/Gettiy Images)

Joanna Shimkus Poitier is a Canadian-Lithuanian actress. She was born on October 30, 1943, in Halifax, Nava Scotia and grew up in Montreal. She graduated from Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Name School and moved to Paris at the age of 19 to establish a career in modeling.

The 78-year-old gained considerable success as a fashion model and made her film debut with Jean Aurel's 1964 film De l'amou (All About Loving). She went on to work with director Robert Enrico on three of his films, including Les aventuriers, Ho! and the highly successful Tante Zita.

The actress also appeared in films like Boom!, The Lost Man, The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker, A Time for Loving and The Virgin and the Gypsy, among others. Joanna earned a "Star of Tomorrow" nomination for her portrayal of Yvette in the latter.

The Halifax-native stepped away from the spotlight in 1970s to focus on her personal life. She married Sidney Poitier in 1976 and had two daughters with the actor. In 2010, she appeared in the short film Yard Sale and also produced projects like The Force and Black Irish.

Sidney Poitier and Joanna Shimkus tied the knot in 1976 (Image via Robin Platzer/Getty Images)

Sidney Poitier met Joanna Shimkus while filming the 1969 crime film The Lost Man and started dating shortly after. They exchanged vows on January 23, 1976, nearly a decade after the former’s divorce from his first wife, Juanita Hardy.

Speaking on his relationship with Joanna, the Hollywood legend once said:

“There is one key ingredient my wife has helped me to recognize over the years, and that is the importance of articulating love for one another on a daily basis."

The pair welcomed daughter Anika on February 29, 1972 in New York. Their second daughter Sydney Tamiia was born on November 15, 1973 in Los Angeles. Both of their children have found considerable success in the entertainment industry.

Despite keeping their private lives out of the public eye, Sidney Poitier and Joanna Shimkus spent more than four decades as a couple and only parted ways after the former’s recent demise.