‘Star Wars’ Actress Naomi Ackie To Lead Whitney Houston Biopic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’
By Ethan Anderton/Dec. 16, 2020 9:30 am EST
The script for the Whitney Houston movie comes from Anthony McCarten, who previously wrote Bohemian Rhapsody. That’s not the only thing I Wanna Dance with Somebody will share with the Queen biopic, because just as Rami Malek didn’t actually sing any of tunes sung by Freddie Mercury, we won’t hear Naomi Ackie singing any of Whitney Houston’s signature songs either. Music producer Clive Davis said:
Much like Freddie Mercury from Queen, Whitney Houston had a unique voice that few would be able to imitate on the big screen while also delivering a stellar performance. In order to satisfy Houston’s millions of fans, it’s probably best to use the singer’s voice instead of having any actress try to match her powerful vocals.
“Naomi Ackie’s screen test was so powerful, it sent shivers up my spine. Although Whitney’s incomparable vocals are used for all the songs, Naomi’s extraordinary acting range enables her to masterfully capture Whitney’s unique charm, star power, and, of course, her personal struggles. Naomi is the real deal and I can’t imagine a better choice for this iconic role.”
Clive Davis will produce the movie through his Muse of Fire Productions along with Larry Mestel for Primary Wave Music, a partner of the Whitney Houston estate, which is also producing by way of Pat Houston, the singer’s long-time manager and sister-in-law. Denis O’Sullivan and Jeff Kalligheri will also produce while Nicole Brown, Shary Shirazi, and Brittany Morrissey will oversee the project for TriStar Pictures.
As of now, I Wanna Dance with Somebody is aiming for a Thanksgiving 2022 release.
