Sidney Poitier, the first black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor, has died at the age of 94.

Published on

8 January 2022

Poitier was a trailblazing actor and a respected humanitarian and diplomat. He won the Academy Award for best actor for Lilies of the Field in 1963. Former US President Barack Obama said Poitier “epitomised dignity and grace” and had “singular talent”. Meanwhile, US broadcaster and journalist Oprah Winfrey also paid tribute, saying: “For me, the greatest of the ‘Great Trees’ has fallen,” adding the actor “had an enormous soul I will forever cherish”.

Merentia Van Der Vent

Merentia joined the media world in 1996 and in 2001, she took her first steps in the broadcasting world. In her free time, she likes to go on adventures in the city. She also likes to learn new dances, not that she is any good at that.