Joanna Shimkus
Joanna Marie Poitier ( Shimkus; born 30 October 1943) is a Canadian film actress. She is the widow of actor Sidney Poitier and mother of actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier. Early life. Joanna Marie Shimkus was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Joseph Shimkus, a Jewish father of Lithuanian descent and Marie Petrie, a Roman Catholic of Irish descent. Her father worked for the Royal Canadian Navy. She attended a convent school and was brought up in Montreal. Career. She made her debut in 1964 in Jean Aurel's film "De l'amour". She was then noticed by film director Robert  Enrico, who selected her to appear in three of his films; "Les aventuriers" (1967), opposite Alain Delon and Lino Ventura, "Tante Zita" (1968) and "Ho!" (1968). She appeared in Joseph Losey's film "Boom!" (1968), opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and "The Lost Man" (1969), opposite Sidney Poitier. Her film career continued until the early 1970s, including roles in "L'Invitée" (1969), "The Virgin and the Gypsy" (1970), "The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker" (1971) and "A Time for Loving" (1972). Personal life. Shimkus married Sidney Poitier in 1976, and they have two daughters: Anika and Sydney Tamiia, who is  also an actress. Shimkus has three grandchildren; two from Anika and one from Sydney Tamiia. Sidney Poitier died on 6 January 2022, aged 94.