Sidney Poitier’s ‘To Sir, with Love’ co-star Lulu mourns late actor: ‘There's a great sadness with his loss'

Sidney Poitier, winner of the best actor Oscar in 1964 for “Lilies of the Field,” died at his home in Los Angeles, according to Latrae Rahming, director of communications for the Prime Minister of The Bahamas.

"When I first met him, I was terrified," she recalled to Fox News. "He was incredibly tall, and I’m so short. And I was living in Lululand because I was a rock ‘n’ roll, pop singer. I had never acted before. And here was this incredibly dignified man who held himself so beautifully. I just wanted to get the job right and not make a fool out of anybody. I wanted to live up to his expectations. And I knew he chose his films very carefully."

Poitier, the groundbreaking actor and enduring inspiration who transformed how Black people were portrayed on the big screen, died Jan. 6 at age 94. He was the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw.