Starletta DuPois

Biography

Starletta DuPois is known for her memorable work in films such as the cult classic "Friday After Next," with Ice Cube and Mike Epps, as well as "First Sunday" and Martin Lawrence's blockbuster, "Big Momma's House." Iconic producer Oliver Stone tapped her for his gritty urban drama, "South Central," and she's co-starred with many other notables including, Angela Bassett and the late Whitney Houston in "Waiting to Exhale," with Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfieffer in "Wolf," Denzel Washington in "Ricochet," and with Gena Rowlands and James Garner in the box office smash "The Notebook," directed by Nick Cassavetes (John Q). Most recently, DuPois co-starred in the Pan African Film Festival's top prize-winning film, "Ties That Bind," as well as in "Duck" with Phillip Baker Hall and the critically acclaimed film "The Least Among You" with Louis Gossett, Jr. Television audiences are well acquainted with DuPois from her growing list of series and Movie-of-the-Week guest appearances-including a recurring role on the runaway hit "Lost" with Harold Perrineau, "Cold Case" with Thom Barry, and "K-Ville" with Anthony Anderson. ABC's "One Life to Live," "The Road to Galveston," co-starring with Cicely Tyson, "City of Angels" "Chicago Hope," "The District," "The Steve Harvey Show," "Any Day Now," "Through Hazel Eyes" with Jane Seymour and HBO's acclaimed "Strapped," and a stint as a series' regular on PBS' "Up and Coming" are among her many appearances. Her theatrical roots run deep with dozens of performances including the St. Louis Black Repertory Company productions of "Intimate Apparel," "Before It Hits Home," August Wilson's "King Hedley II"-all of which garnered prize nominations, as well as the coveted Woodie King, Jr. Award for her work as Best Actress in a Drama during the 2005-2006 season. Other notable highlights of her remarkable theatre career include "The Mighty Gents" for which she earned a Tony Award nomination and the Mark Taper Forum production of "Miss Evers Boys" (NAACP Image Award nomination). She also has the distinction of being the very rare performer to have portrayed all three female roles in Lorraine Hansberry's master work, "A Raisin in the Sun." In addition to playing opposite Danny Glover in the landmark PBS production (earning the NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama), she recently received much acclaim for her show-stopping turn as Lena Younger in the Royal Exchange Theatre revival production held in Manchester, England. That performance earned her the Manchester Evening News Theater Award for Best Actress Award. Recently, she was awarded both the Eternity Award by the Los Angeles Women's Theater Festival and the Living Legend Award from the National Black Theatre Festival. DuPois' uncanny talent for capturing the essence of each character has carried her abroad to perform in Rome and Japan, leaving a trail of critical raves in her wake. Her portrayals of August Wilson's timeless characters in "Fences," "The Piano Lesson," (directed by Lloyd Richard and opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Charles S. Dutton) and "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" with Delroy Lindo, were nothing less than brilliant. A Philadelphia native, she holds M.F.A. in Theatre Arts from UCLA where she graduated magna cum laude. In addition to being involved in a myriad of civic and philanthropic endeavors, she mentors inspiring artists and serves as an adjunct professor in the Theatre Arts department of the University of Southern California. During off-season she can be found on tour with her highly successful one-woman show, "Order My Steps." Ms. DuPois currently resides in Los Angeles, California.