The tributes continue for one of the greatest actors of all time, Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier, who passed way Friday at age 94.
Harry Belafonte was one of his best friends: They knew each other as teenagers, and their trailblazing careers paralleled each other. Both Poitier and Belafonte were active in the civil rights movement in the 60s, and often marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his fight against racism, segregation and discrimination. Belafonte and Poitier also starred together in two films Sidney directed: Buck and the Preacher in 1972, and 1974’s Uptown Saturday Night.
“For over 80 years, Sidney and I laughed, cried and made as much mischief as we could,” Belafonte said in a statement. “He was truly my brother and partner in trying to make this world a little better. He certainly made mine a whole lot better.”
In other news, Rick Ross appears Sunday night in The Equalizer. In the “Bout That Life” episode, the Richer Than I’ve Ever Been MC portrays rapper Gregory “Dilemma” Blickman, who’s pleaded guilty to murder. His wife hires Robyn McCall, played by Queen Latifah, to prove he’s innocent.
“Look out for my cameo w/ the Icon @queenlatifah on the @theequalizercbs episode Airs Jan. 9th on CBS,” Ross commented with an Instagram photo of him in a scene with Latifah.
Finally, Deadline reports that this week, Tyler Perry announced that all actors, as well as crew members who interact with them, at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta must be fully vaccinated. The creator of the Madea franchise got vaccinated in January 2021, and has publicly promoted vaccinations. On January 28, he hosted the BET special, COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community.
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