Sidney Poitier
The first Black actor to win the Oscar — but his significance goes far beyond that. Poitier's dignity, artistry, and deliberate choice of roles reshaped what Hollywood thought Black films could be.
The Cultural Record
Discography
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Rank History
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Often Compared To
Tom Hanks
#2Actors / Male — Concord, California · 1980–present
Back-to-back Oscars — the only man to win twice consecutively. Hanks is simultaneously Hollywood's most beloved star and one of its greatest actors. The nicest person in rooms full of nice people.
Will Smith
#3Actors / Male — Wynnefield, Philadelphia · 1990–present
Fresh Prince to Ali to Oscar winner — before the slap. Smith's career arc from Philly rapper to one of Hollywood's biggest stars to that 2022 Oscars moment is one of Hollywood's most complicated stories.