SIDNEY POITIER AND JOANNA SHIMKUS – 45 YEARS

Former ambassador and actor Sidney Poitier seems like he had a good life. That was not the case, though, when he was growing up. Born in the Bahamas, Sidney had it rough. Their family did not even have electricity nor running water, and at 15 years old, his mother gave him $3 and shipped him to Florida to live with an older brother. At this point, he took on jobs to survive. He met his first love, Juanita Hardy, but their relationship fell after 15 years of marriage.

Eventually, he met Joanna Shimkus. On January 23, 1976, they took their marriage vows and had been together ever since. During this time, Sidney was already at the height of his career, while Joanna appeared in a few movies, with her career mostly ending in the early 1970s. The two are now retired and focused on their children and grandchildren, who love having them around.