Joanna Shimkus
Biography
Joanna Marie Shimkus is a Canadian film actress born on October 30, 1943, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Joseph Shimkus, was a Jewish man of Lithuanian descent who worked for the Royal Canadian Navy, and her mother, Marie Petrie, was a Roman Catholic of Irish descent. She attended a convent school and grew up in Montreal. She is the widow of actor Sidney Poitier and the mother of actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier. She made her film debut in 1964 in Jean Aurel's film De l'amour. She was also featured in Jean-Luc Godard's short Montparnasse-Levallois, which was his contribution to the anthology film Six in Paris, shot in December 1963 and released in 1965.
Career overview
Joanna Marie Shimkus is a Canadian film actress born on October 30, 1943, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Joseph Shimkus, was a Jewish man of Lithuanian descent who worked for the Royal Canadian Navy, and her mother, Marie Petrie, was a Roman Catholic of Irish descent. She attended a convent school and was brought up in Montreal.
Shimkus made her film debut in 1964 in Jean Aurel's film De l'amour. She was also first featured in Jean-Luc Godard's short Montparnasse-Levallois, which was his contribution to the anthology film Six in Paris. Although that short was shot in December 1963, the film was not released until 1965. Her career in acting encompasses 19 known credits on film and television according to database records.
In her personal life, she is the widow of actor Sidney Poitier and the mother of actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier. Over the course of her life and career, she has also been known by the names Joanna Schimkus and Johanna Shimkus.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
20 titles- A Summer with Joe, Liz and Richard (2025) as Self
- Sidney Poitier - The Man Who Changed Hollywood (2023) as Self (archive) - Sidney Poitier's second wife
- Sidney (2022) as Self
- Sidney (2022) Executive Producer
- A Time for Loving (1972) as Joan
- The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker (1971) as Lisa Alren
- The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970) as Yvette
- The Lost Man (1969) as Cathy Ellis
- The Uninvited (1969) as Anne
- Ho ! (1968) as Bénédicte
- Boom! (1968) as Miss Black
- Zita (1968) as Annie
- Woman in Chains (1968) as Une invitée au vernissage (uncredited)
- The Last Adventure (1967) as Laetitia
- Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1966)
- Dim Dam Dom (1965) as Self
- Montparnasse et Levallois (1965) as Monica
- Six in Paris (1965) as Monica (segment "Montparnasse-Levallois")
- Idoli controluce (1965) as Alexandra
- All About Loving (1964) as Sophie
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Joanna Shimkus best known for?
Joanna Shimkus is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Lost Man (1969), Ho ! (1968), Boom! (1968), Woman in Chains (1968).
When and where was Joanna Shimkus born?
Joanna Shimkus was born on October 30, 1943 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
How many credits does Joanna Shimkus have?
Joanna Shimkus has accumulated over 20 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1964 to 2025.
What is Joanna Shimkus's background in cinema and television?
Joanna Marie Shimkus is a Canadian film actress born on October 30, 1943, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her father, Joseph Shimkus, was a Jewish man of Lithuanian descent who worked for the Royal Canadian Navy, and her mother, Marie Petrie, was a Roman Catholic of Irish descent. She attended a convent school and grew up in ...
Joanna Shimkus by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Woman in Chains (1968) as Une invitée au vernissage (uncredited) — aged about 24
- The Last Adventure (1967) as Laetitia — aged about 23
- Ho ! (1968) as Bénédicte — aged about 24
- Boom! (1968) as Miss Black — aged about 24
- The Lost Man (1969) as Cathy Ellis — aged about 25
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