RIP Sidney Poitier: Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Ruffalo and others mourn demise of legendary actor

Legendary actor Sidney Poitier has passed away at the age of 94. The star, who was the first Black man to win the Best Actor Award at the Oscars has been known for his movies In the Heat of the Night, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Lilies in the Field and many more. However, his first lead role was in the 1955 movie Blackboard Jungle.

For those unversed, Poitier was born in the Bahamas but moved to America at the age of 15. According to the Independent, he had also served in the Second World War as a teenager. However, after being discharged from the Army, the actor took up the job of being a dishwasher until he joined the American Negro Theatre School of Drama.

Hollywood has taken to mourn the demise of Poitier. Many celebrities took to their individual social media platforms to pen heartfelt tributes for the late star. "Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors. Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans," Barack Obama penned.

You can check Obama's post HERE.

Oprah Winfrey took to Twitter to share a note and an adorable picture with the actor. "For me, the greatest of the "Great Trees" has fallen: Sidney Poitier. My honour to have loved him as a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher. The utmost, highest regard and praise for his most magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. I treasured him. I adored him. He had an enormous soul I will forever cherish. Blessings to Joanna and his world of beautiful daughters," Winfrey penned.

Marvel actor Mark Ruffalo penned a perfect note for Poitier on his demise. "Immediately dispelling the perverted, obscene, and misinformed notion of white supremacy in every beautifully human, artistic and dignified way = Sidney Poitier," he wrote. While sharing her condolences to his family and fans, Whoopi Goldberg penned, "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."

Actor Jeffrey Wright lauded the late star and tweeted, "Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love."

You can check Wright's tweet HERE.

Hugh Jackman took to his Instagram stories to pen how the actor was in his real life. "Pure class. Wise, funny, dignified with a cheeky glint in his eyes." Politician Hilary Clinton tweeted, "We were all so lucky to share a culture with Sidney Poitier, and benefit from his hand in shaping it."

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