Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) October 13, 2026
Starletta DuPois has spent decades bringing characters to life on stage and screen. Now, the veteran actress is taking on a new challenge with a voice role in Netflix’s upcoming science fiction animated series Bass X Machina.
DuPois voices Etta, a Black Choctaw Native American woman, in the series, which combines science fiction, action, and the atmosphere of a lawless Western frontier. Her casting brings another experienced performer into a project that is already drawing attention for its impressive ensemble.
Set in a steampunk world filled with dangerous outlaws, powerful machines, and supernatural forces, Bass X Machina follows Bass, a father who finds himself forced to become judge, jury, and executioner to protect his family. But as he fights to keep them safe, his choices threaten to tear apart the very family he is trying to save.
Brian Tyree Henry voices Bass, with Janelle Monáe, Tati Gabrielle, Cree Summer, Chaske Spencer, and Currie Graham also among the cast. Created by LeSean Thomas, the series features animation production from Studio Mir.
For DuPois, the role is another chapter in a career that has taken her across film, television, and theatre. The Tony Award-nominated and NAACP Image Award-winning actress has spent years building a body of work that speaks to her range and experience as a performer.
Audiences may recognize her from films such as Waiting to Exhale, The Notebook, and Big Momma’s House. Her theatre work has also included productions of A Raisin in the Sun, a play that explores family, identity, and the struggle to build a better future.
Moving into animation offers performers a different way to connect with audiences. Without facial expressions or physical movement to communicate a character’s feelings, voice actors must rely on their delivery, timing, and interpretation to make their characters feel real.
That is part of what makes DuPois’s involvement in Bass X Machina interesting. With so much of an animated character’s personality resting on the voice behind it, her experience could bring an added layer of depth to Etta. Viewers will have to see the series to discover how the character fits into the larger story.
The show also looks to offer more than action and futuristic technology. Its mix of Western influences and steampunk imagery creates a setting where questions of family, justice, survival, and responsibility can unfold alongside the spectacle. At its heart, Bass’s struggle raises a familiar question: how far can someone go to protect the people they love before the cost becomes too great?
With its experienced cast and distinctive setting, Bass X Machina is shaping up to be an interesting addition to Netflix’s adult animation lineup. DuPois’s casting gives longtime fans another reason to look forward to the series, while introducing her to viewers who may be less familiar with her work.
Bass X Machina is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on November 3, 2026. As the release date approaches, audiences will have the opportunity to see how DuPois brings Etta to life and how her character contributes to a story where survival often comes at a price.
