Starletta DuPois (born July 18, 1941) is an American actress. She has appeared in more than 90 films and television shows during her career. She received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in The Mighty Gents (1978).
Life and career DuPois, who is of African American heritage, was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 1968, and received her M.F.A. in Theatre Arts from UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. She made her Broadway debut appearing in 1974 short-lived play What the Wine-Sellers Buy. Later that year, she had minor roles in films Death Wish and The Gambler. In 1976, she starred in the Off-Broadway production of So Nice, They Named it Twice.
In 1978, DuPois received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in the original production of The Mighty Gents opposite Dorian Harewood. She later played Ruth Younger in the Union Square Theatre's A Raisin in the Sun, and appeared in Longacre Theatre's musical Don't Get God Started. At the same time, DuPois began appearing on television, playing guest-starring roles on The Jeffersons, Little House on the Prairie, Knots Landing, Hill Street Blues, CHiPs and St. Elsewhere. In 1989, she received NAACP Image Award for American Playhouse production of A Raisin in the Sun. She later returned to play, but in role of Lena Younger, in the Royal Exchange Theatre 2010 production receiving positive review from The Guardian. Her other theatre credits including Intimate Apparel, Before It Hits Home, King Hedley II, Miss Evers Boys, Fences, The Piano Lesson and Joe Turner's Come and Gone.
During her career, DuPois played supporting roles in a more that 50 movies. She appeared in Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), Odd Jobs (1986), Hollywood Shuffle (1987), Ricochet (1991), The Waterdance (1992), South Central (1992), The Thing Called Love (1993), and Wolf (1994). She starred opposite James Earl Jones in the 1991 Western film Convicts and played Whitney Houston' character mother in the 1995 comedy-drama film, Waiting to Exhale. She later appeared in films 3 Strikes (2000), Big Momma's House (2000), Friday After Next (2002), The Notebook (2004), First Sunday (2008), True to the Game trilogy (2017–2021), and Charming the Hearts of Men (2021).
On television, DuPois appeared in made-for-television movies, include The Kid with the 200 I.Q. (1983), Wes Craven's Chiller (1985), Runaway Father (1991), Strapped (1993), The Road to Galveston (1996), Full Circle (1996) and Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland (2017). From 2017 to 2021 she starred in the streaming television comedy series, The Rich and the Ruthless opposite Victoria Rowell. Her other television credits including guest appearances on The Steve Harvey Show, Chicago Hope, The District, Lost, Cold Case and Black Jesus.
Filmography Film + Starletta DuPois film credits Year Title Role 1974 Death Wish Lady at Police Station (uncredited) 1974 The Gambler Monique (uncredited) 1980 The Torture of Mothers Mother 1985 Pee-wee's Big Adventure Sgt. Hunter 1986 Odd Jobs Dwight's Mom 1987 Hollywood Shuffle Bobby's Mother 1991 Ricochet Mrs. Styles 1991 Convicts Martha Johnson 1991 Last Breeze of Summer Sarah Davis 1992 The Waterdance Florence 1992 South Central Nurse Shelly 1993 Let's Get Bizzee Mrs. Baker 1993 The Thing Called Love Selma 1994 Wolf Victim's Mother 1995 Waiting to Exhale Savannah's Mother 1997 The Maker Technician 2000 3 Strikes Moms Douglas 2000 Big Momma's House Miss Patterson 2002 Friday After Next Sister Sarah 2004 The Notebook Nurse Esther 2005 Duck Social Worker 2005 Family Reunion Mabel Green 2008 First Sunday Grandmother 2009 The Least Among You Bessie Benton 2012 Dead Money Delores 2012 A Beautiful Soul Deaconess 2016 Mosaic Aunt Nell 2017 True to the Game Gah-Git 2017 A Teacher's Touch Narvie Harris 2020 Death of a Telemarketer Mrs. Gordon 2020 Magic Max Mrs. Chambers 2020 True to the Game 2 Gah-Git 2021 Charming the Hearts of Men Mattie 2021 True to the Game 3 Gah-Git 2023 A Haitian Wedding 2023 Soul Mates Allison's Grandmother Marie 2023 Heart for the Holidays 2024 No More Goodbyes 2025 One Battle After Another Gramma Minnie
Television + Starletta DuPois television credits Year Title Role Notes 1980 The Jeffersons Donna 1 episode 1981 Little House on the Prairie Freda Episode: "Make a Joyful Noise" 1981 Hill Street Blues 2nd Neighbor / 2nd Woman 2 episodes 1981 CHiPs Lauren Collier 1 episode 1983–1992 Knots Landing Chip's Nurse / Nurse Benson 2 episodes 1984 St. Elsewhere Dora Chambers 2 episodes 1987 The Equalizer Female Detective Episode: "Inner View" 1982 Games Mother Never Taught You Ann TV movie 1983 The Kid with the 200 I.Q. Minna Newell TV movie 1985 Deadly Intentions Security Lady TV movie 1985 Wes Craven's Chiller Nurse TV movie 1989 American Playhouse Ruth Younger TV movie: A Raisin in the Sun 1991 Runaway Father Ruth TV movie 1993 Frogs! Principal Caverly TV movie 1993 Strapped Diquan's Mother TV movie 1994 A Passion for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story Ruth TV movie 1996 The Road to Galveston Sally, Jordan's Blind Friend TV movie 1996 Full Circle Miriam Black TV movie 1997 Alone Lois TV movie 1998 The Steve Harvey Show Ms. Pittman 1 episode 1998 Chicago Hope Arlene 1 episode 2003 The District Kay Gilson 2 episodes 2008 Lost Mrs. Dawson 2 episodes 2008 Cold Case Mrs. Harris 1 episode 2014–2019 Black Jesus Protester #1 / Miss Evans 2 episodes 2017 Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland Katherine Jackson TV movie 2017–2019 The Rich and the Ruthless Grandma Jones 18 episodes 2026 Bass X Machina Etta (voice) Upcoming series
References
External links