Sidney Poitier’s official cause of death has been revealed.
According to TMZ, the 94-year-old died from a combination of prostate cancer, heart failure and Alzheimer’s dementia. Poitier’s death certificate also said that he died at his home in Beverly Hills.
As REVOLT previously reported, the A Raisin In The Sun actor passed away on Jan. 6. Our News Bahamas broke the tragic news by tweeting, “Sir Sidney Poitier has died at the age of 94. Our newsteam can confirm that he died last night.”
In 1964, Poitier became the first Black and Bahamian man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field. He also starred in several films, including Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, Uptown Saturday Night, A Raisin in the Sun and more. Poitier also won a Grammy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and a British Academy Film Award.
Poitier’s death prompted several celebrities to take to social media to share their tributes. Actress Viola Davis wrote, “This is a big one. No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life. The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!!…Thank you! Thank you for leaving a legacy. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
Kerry Washington praised Poitier for setting a tremendous example for others to follow. “We lost an elegant King today. And heaven just became a lot more classy,” the “Scandal” actress wrote. “Thank you Sidney Poitier, for not only opening the door, but for walking in this world with endless grace and excellence, so that today, still, we follow behind you, reaching toward the example that you set. Rest In Peace and in Power. We love you.”