Sidney Poitier and Joanna Shimkus

Hollywood marriages are very tricky partnerships to navigate at the best of times. But what if your marriage was also interracial at a time in history when the viewing public was easily scandalized?

“We Were Just Destined to Be”

It’s a great line, for sure, but do the stars confirm it?

My impression of this relationship is that Saturn plays a strong role for both partners. Mars represents the ‘ideal’ man for a woman and in Joanna’s chart it is conjunct Saturn (both in Gemini). In Sidney’s chart Saturn is on the cusp of his 3rd House, conjunct Joanna’s Ascendant (based on the rectified time, highlighting Mars at age 32). The other link involves Sidney’s Neptune and Joanna’s Jupiter. There are plenty of inconjuncts, but only one interactive Yod: his Uranus and Mars are inconjunct her Mercury.

Sidney Poitier was the ‘breakthrough’ actor who the Hollywood establishment took notice of in the 1960’s. He was different from the usual depiction of a black man in America. He was urbane, cultured, soft-spoken and handsome. He won an Oscar for “Lilies of the Field“.

Poitier also received acclaim for Porgy and Bess (1959), A Raisin in the Sun (1961), and A Patch of Blue (1965). He continued to break ground in three successful 1967 films which dealt with issues of race and race relations: To Sir, with Love; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and In the Heat of the Night. He received Golden Globe and British Academy Film Award nominations for his performance in the last film and in a poll the next year was voted the US’s top box-office star.

Wikipedia

His life changed when he starred with Joanna Shimkus in “The Lost Man“ in 1969.

I never saw this film, so I was blissfully unaware of the potential scandal that this kiss would have caused. But, for the two individuals, this was the start of something beautiful, which culminated in their marriage in 1976 and a lifelong partnership. Poitier died on January 6th, 2022.

So, What About Dinner?

While receiving a lifetime achievement award in 2016, Poitier told PEOPLE, “My wife and my children mean the most to me.” Shimkus added at the time of their secret to a lasting relationship: “We’ve been together 49 years and I’m a good cook. I cook every night. … I take good care of him.”

Yahoo/Entertainment

By my calculations, Poitier and Shimkus got together in 1968, the year after “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” was released. Yes, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, every time.