By Lin. Woods, Faith and Family Entertainment Editor
LinkedIn: @Lin. Woods
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Acclaimed veteran actress Starletta DuPois is stepping into the Hollywood spotlight once again, joining Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn in the highly anticipated action thriller One Battle After Another, set to hit theaters nationwide on September 26, 2025, from Warner Bros. Pictures.
In the film, DuPois portrays Grandma Jennie, a wise yet fiery matriarch at the center of a dangerous rescue mission. She stars alongside an impressive ensemble that includes Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and rising newcomer Chase Infiniti.
Written, co-produced, and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, the film is loosely adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland. The story follows a group of ex-revolutionaries who reunite after 16 years when their evil enemy resurfaces. Their mission: save DiCaprio’s character’s daughter, played by Infiniti, from imminent danger.
A Role Close to the Heart
DuPois, who holds a degree in biology, says this role feels deeply personal.
“One Battle After Another is about revolutionaries. I’ve been a revolutionary all my life. And what they talk about in this movie, I’ve lived it,” she shares. “To work alongside such a powerhouse cast and bring Grandma Jennie to life is truly a blessing.”
The casting process itself was unique. The casting agent came directly to the 84-year-old actress’s home for her audition — an experience DuPois says had never happened in her career.
She describes DiCaprio as “very humble” and beams when speaking about working alongside four women of color in the film: Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and newcomer Chase Infiniti. “The experience was beautiful working with them,” she says.
A Storied Career
With a career spanning over five decades, DuPois has earned her place as one of the most respected actresses of her generation. She is a Tony Award nominee and NAACP Image Award winner (for A Raisin in the Sun) and has been honored with a Presidential Citation and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Her body of work includes more than 45 film titles, collectively grossing over $525 million worldwide. Memorable roles include The Notebook, Friday After Next, and Waiting to Exhale (as Whitney Houston’s mother). She has acted alongside Hollywood greats such as Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson, Danny Glover, Jack Nicholson, Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones, Ruby Dee, and Denzel Washington.
On television, her credits range from classics like The Jeffersons and Little House on the Prairie to modern hits like Lost, City of Angels, Black Jesus, and The Steve Harvey Show. On stage, she’s delivered powerhouse performances in Miss Evers’ Boys, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, and The Mighty Gents, which earned her a Tony nomination.
What’s Next for DuPois
Beyond One Battle After Another, DuPois continues to expand her artistic reach. She appears in the short film Minutes to Go, now on the festival circuit, and lends her voice to an upcoming 2026 animated film about the first Black U.S. Marshal, Bass Reeves, in which she portrays a Black Choctaw Native American.
Later this month, she will be honored in Atlanta with a Trailblazer Award for Women of Color.
When not on set, DuPois dedicates her time to speaking at universities and colleges, passing on her wealth of knowledge to the next generation of actors. “I’m blessed to live my dreams,” she reflects.One Battle After Another storms into theaters nationwide on September 26, 2025.
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