Sidney Poitier passed away at his home in Beverly Hills, California. His death was officially confirmed by Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas. Tributes poured in from numerous public figures, including then-President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and many prominent members of the entertainment industry such as Martin Scorsese, Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman, Viola Davis, and Oprah Winfrey. In his honor, Broadway theaters dimmed their lights on January 19, 2022, and the Ebertfest film festival dedicated its 2022 event to his memory alongside Gilbert Gottfried.