Sidney Poitier's Net Worth: How Much Was The Famous Actor Worth When He Died?

The world has lost yet another Hollywood legend — Sidney Poitier passed away at the age of 94, according to CNN. Poitier was the first Black man to win an acting Oscar, and is best known for his roles in classics such as "In The Heat of the Night," and "Guess Who's Coming For Dinner?" 

Despite his long and successful career in the entertainment industry, Poitier expressed frustration that there were still a lot of people out there that simply focused on his status as the first Black man to win in Hollywood, rather than as the talented actor he was. "I deal with race-based questions all the time, but I resent them," he admitted during a 2000 interview with Oprah Winfrey. "I will not let the press thrust me into a definition by feeding me only race questions. I've established that my concern with race is substantive. But at the same time, I am not all about race. ... I've had to find balance."

Poitier definitely found that balance, and it didn't take very long for Hollywood to react to Poitier's death. Whoopi Goldberg shared her condolences with Poitier's family on Twitter and said, "If you wanted the sky i would write across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high.. To Sir... with Love, Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P., He showed us how to reach for the stars," while Jeffrey Wright tweeted, "What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man." 

In addition to an impressive legacy, Poitier also left behind an impressive net worth.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Sidney Poitier was worth an estimated $20 million when he died at the age of 94. Poitier left behind a total of six daughters that he shared with his ex-wife, Juanita Hardy, and his second wife, Joanna Shimkus. 

While Poitier ended his life a very wealthy man, he came from humble beginnings. "[My father] was a poor man, and I watched him do astonishing things... he never lost his dignity," Poitier reflected of his humble childhood in the Bahamas to Oprah Winfrey in 2000. "In his lifetime, my father never earned as much money as I spend in a week." He also shared an anecdote from his childhood about a time his mother went to a fortune-teller in Miami, worried about Poitier, who had been born prematurely. "Don't worry about your son," the fortune-teller shared. "He will not be a sickly child. He will walk with kings. He will step on pillars of gold. And he will carry your name to many places." Clearly, she was onto something. 

Poitier may be gone, but his talent and his legacy will never be forgotten.