A documentary about the career and life of the late Sidney Poitier is in production at Apple, a source close to the project has confirmed to Variety. Oprah Winfrey is attached as executive producer for the Apple Original Films release.
Apple and Winfrey have been in production on the documentary for more than a year. Poitier’s family is participating in the project.
The documentary comes from Harpo Productions and Network Entertainment. Reggie Hudlin will serve as director. Hudlin’s previous directorial credits include 90’s films like “House Party” and “Boomerang,” as well as episodes of TV series like “The Last O.G.” and “Black Monday.” He is also a prolific producer across film and television, serving as a regular executive producer for the NAACP Image Awards since 2013. Hudlin directed the 2019 documentary “The Black Godfather,” which examines the life of music producer Clarence Avant.
Hudlin is also already executive producing two other projects for Apple TV Plus. He will direct “Number One on the Call Sheet,” a documentary that examines the history of Black leading men in Hollywood. He is attached to a sister documentary about Black leading women, which Shola Lynch is set to direct.
Poitier, an accomplished performer, producer and director and the first Black winner of the Academy Award for best actor, died on Friday at the age of 94.
“To us Sidney Poitier was not only a brilliant actor, activist and a man of incredible grace and moral fortitude, he was also a devoted and loving husband, a supportive and adoring father and a man who always put family first,” Poitier’s family said in a statement. “Although he is no longer here with us in this realm, his beautiful soul will continue to guide and inspire us. He will live on in us, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren — in every belly laugh, every curious inquiry, every act of compassion and kindness. His legacy will live on in the world, continuing to inspire not only with his incredible body of work, but even more so with his humanity.”
