As they said, the rest is history. Starletta appears in the film as Grandma Jennie. The story line, taken from the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, follows a group of ex-revolutionaries who reunite to rescue one of its members' daughter. The member is played by Leonardo, and his daughter is played by Chase Infiniti. She is kidnapped by their old enemy who resurfaces after 16 years. Others cast members in the film include Benicio del Toro, and Teyana Taylor.

One Battle After Another, Rated R, is directed by Academy Award nominated filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. It is produced by Anderson, Sara Murphy, and Adam Somner. One Battle After Another is a Ghoulardi Film Company and Warner Bros. Pictures production.

"I worked three days," she told me as we talked about her experience on the film that had a budget of 130 million. "During that time, I became a grandmother. In my 80s with a new grand babe!"

"When I finished my scene they took me to the hospital to see the baby because I was concern....she had to do a C-section," Starletta continued. "When we had the premiere everyone asked about the baby."

DuPois, who is 87 years-young, holds a bachelor's degree in biology and an honorary doctorate degree from her alma mater University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Starletta has over 45 films to her credit that span over 50 years. She has earned a Tony Award nomination for her role in The Might Gents and an NAACP Image Award for her role in A Raisin in the Sun. Starletta DuPois has been given the Presidential Citation for her work, which includes her most notable roles in the projects Friday After Next and Waiting to Exhale as Whitney Houston's character's mother.

"The movie is packed with very fine actors and actresses," she said as we continued talking about One Battle After Another.

Starletta DuPois has acted alongside Angela Bassett, James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Ruby Dee, Danny Glover, Robert Duvall, Jack Nicholson, and Denzel Washington. The Philly native's television series credits include The Jeffersons, Little House on the Prairie, Lost, City of Angels, Black Jesus, The Steve Harvey Show. Her stage credits include Fences, Miss Evers' Boys, August Wilson's The Piano Lesson and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Starletta's voice is in animation projects, such as The First Black U.S. Marshall, the true story of Bass Reeves, where she plays a Black Choctaw Native American, It is due to be released in 2026. Recently in Atlanta she was honored with the Trailblazer Award for Women of Color.

In closing our interview, I asked the veteran actress how she maintains such as active acting career for 50 years and she said, "I didn't let a ‘no' stop me. God has us here for a reason."  www.OneBattleAfterAnotherMovie.com

Monique Nikkole is currently promoting the current single from the "Enigmatic" EP (out in October) titled "We Are One." The single is a remake of the Frankie Beverly & Maze classic.

The artist is a very stylish singer/songwriter and the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. You can say Monique Nikkole is a Renaissance women, she does so much. She is marathon runner; a real estate investor; an entrepreneur with a lifestyle and fitness brand; a concert promoter, and has her own record label Coco Tunes Publishing, Inc.

Nikkole also has a career as a Nassau County police where she climbed the ranks to being a detective sergeant. She retired though in 2021. From there I guess the focus was her music. Before retiring she had already opened her own recording studio; launched her record label; formed a music management company, and a film production company. She later founded a concert promotions company that organizes tours in the New York Tri-State area. Through this business she was able to perform as opening act for some of today's high-profile acts that she organized tours for. As a result, she has performed at such venues as SOB's (Sounds of Brazil's in New York), WBLS's Circle of Sisters Expo, and recently at the City Winery Atlanta. She has opened for such acts as Deborah Cox, Estelle, Melanie Fiona, Tank and Sevyn Streeter.

"When I started out, my first single was ‘Say Yes,' Smooth Jazz and R&B," she pointed out to me when I mentioned all the genres she sings. "Then I released a Christmas album which was Gospel and Jazz. I just did a Rock album with Antonio (Vergara). It's up for Grammy consideration."

Her debut single "Say Yes," earned her the iHeart Radio's "Artist of the Month" recognition for three consecutive months. Her Christmas album is titled "Monique Nikkole Christmas." She also released a mixtape titled "Monique Nikkole: Straight From the Crates," a Hip-Hop R&B project. All this while still a detective. However, in 2021 when she retired from the police-force she released her "Red Bottoms and Lingerie" single, another Hip-Hop R&B project that features rapper Lil Flip. That single was played on BET, MTV, Music Choice and other radio and streaming platforms.

I asked about the currently single "We Are One" and she said, "It's a fun rendition of and dedication to the late Frankie Beverly. It's a remake of Frankie Beverly & Maze's classic...with a NOLA bounce."

Monique Nikkole launched her Ear Candy show recently airing on WTSX, WPYT and 103.7FM Da Beat. On the show you will hear her exploring the music scene and covering such music events as the Stellar Awards. Her Grammy nomination was based on the Blues album "The Fury" of Antonio Vergara where she was a featured artist.

"I was a featured artist on Antonio Vergara's ‘The Fury' Blues album," Monique Nikkole said when I asked about her Grammy nomination. "I did Spoken Word."

Her image and sound are so unique and versatile that I had to compliment her and asked if it was all created for her music and I also asked if her vocal talent was natural or trained. "What you see is what you get...I'm a natural born singer. I didn't get training until well into my adulthood. I wanted to discover my other voices. I learned more about my instrument when I went to Berkley."

I pointed out that she referred to her voice as an instrument, and I agreed with her. I consider the voice an instrument as well.

"It is a vocal cord, which you will find in pianos, guitars (etc.). When you play an instrument it vibrates. All instruments don't sound alike. It may be the same cord, but all have a unique sound," she pointed out.

I noticed that all her singles are accompanied by music videos, which I again complimented her on, and asked if the new single "We Are One" will have one too and the Brooklyn, New York native said, "For the most part (they come with music videos)."

One of the previous singles from the "Enigmatic" EP include "Queen of the Hustle." It reached #7 on the iTunes Chart, and #21 on the Spotify Chart. Her music videos can be seen on Revolt TV.  www.MoniqueNikkole.com

SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is into its 26th year. Next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday April 19, 2025, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 8, 2025. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email info@thepulseofentertainment.com.ent.com.