Joanna Shimkus Biography

Despite her early success, Joanna was not cast as a lead character and had to settle for minor and guest roles until 1968. In 1966, she starred in the comedy drama 'Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?' before being seen in the adventure film 'The Last Adventure' in 1967. Directed by Robert Enrico, 'The Last Adventure' was a hit at the box office and Joanna's portrayal of Laetitia Weiss was also appreciated by the critics. In 1968, she was cast in what was to become her highest grossing film: 'Zita'. The drama movie was directed by Robert Enrico and starred Joanna and Katina Paxinou in leading roles. The unique storyline of the movie impressed both the critics and the audiences alike. It was also nominated for several awards, including the Best Film award at the ‘Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’. Its success provided Joanna a much-needed boost to her acting career. Her other movies which released that year included 'Boom!’, wherein she played the character of Miss Black, and the crime drama 'Ho!', in which she essayed the role of Benedicte. In 1969, she starred in the Robert Alan Aurthur drama film 'The Lost Man' alongside her future husband Sidney Poitier. Released by ‘Universal Studios’, the movie received a lukewarm response in cinemas, but slowly began to gain popularity as the years went by. She also starred in Vittorio De Seta’s drama 'The Uninvited' in the same year.

Joanna Shimkus or Lady Poitier was born on October 30, 1943 in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. While her mother was a homemaker, her father served in the Royal Canadian Navy. Her father had Lithuanian-Jewish roots, while her mother was of Irish descent. Joanna spent her early years in her grandmother's farm in Halifax, where she was surrounded by animals. However, the family soon moved to Montreal when her mother started working. Joanna married Sir Sidney Poitier, a Bahamian-American actor, director and diplomat, in January 1976. Poitier became the first black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. The couple has two children: Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Anika Poitier. Their daughter Sydney is also an accomplished actress. Sidney Poitier died in January 2022.