Finding the right one is never an easy task, let alone being able to tie the knot and spend the rest of your life with them.

It may be hard to believe but a successful marriage happens, even for celebrities.

That is despite knowing that it’s not as easy as 1-2-3 to maintain a relationship that’s always under the spotlight.

Sidney Poitier and Joanna Shimkus are a great example.

They are, perhaps, one of the most looked up to celebrity couples in the world.

They shared being each other’s husband and wife for 46 years and with that number alone, you’d immediately know that they’re meant to be with each other.

Poitier and Shimkus tied the knot back in 1976

They’ve remained happily married for more than 4 decades until the former’s sad passing on January 6, 2022.

Sidney left behind his legacy and achievements as an actor.

He was the first ever black American to win the Best Actor Oscar on April 13, 1964.

He gave life to characters in movies such as Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, and Lilies of the Field.

Apart from his acting awards, he also left behind his beautiful family, particularly his wife whom he loved with all his heart.

A little backstory

Before even meeting Joanna Shimkus, Sidney married Juanita Hardy first in 1950.

His relationship with Juanita didn’t prosper that much and they eventually got divorced after more than a decade of being together in 1965.

After his first unsuccessful marriage, Sidney met Joanna and the two fell in love with each other.

They finally tied the knot in 1976 and their beautiful marriage was blessed with two daughters: Anika and Sydney.

Knowing his love and devotion to his family was something that people, including those in Hollywood, knew about Sidney.

He even pointed out that his family always comes first and foremost during his acceptance speech when he received his lifetime achievement award in 2016.

In an interview with Oprah, Sidney also shared that his daughters “would be unlikely to say that I’m easy” as a father.

Sidney as a husband

The multi-awarded Hollywood actor shared:

“She would tell you that I’m a perfectionist to a degree and that I ask of others a certain kind of loyalty to and respect for relationships. My wife would say that, on occasion, I’m a little tough on the children.”

In a 1998 documentary, Joanna Shimkus said that the two of them “were just destined to be [together]”.

Joanna also shared something about her past and what her beloved husband had always looked like to her eyes.

“I grew up in Canada and I never really had any kind of prejudice — it’s unlike America. I just never had those feelings. And we’ve never had a problem, actually. It could be that we lead a very quiet life. It could be that it’s just the way it is, I don’t really know. But I never really did see him as a Black man. I mean, I know he is Black, but I just saw him as a man, and he was just a wonderful person. An amazing human being.”

Sidney and Joanna’s story is truly an inspiration to all of us.

Learn more about Sidney and Joanna’s beautiful love story in the video below!

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Source: YouTube – Celebrity Star, PEOPLE