Multi-talented singer, songwriter, actor and producer Whitney Houston has been reimagined in the first official trailer released for I Wanna Dance with Somebody, a biopic exploring the iconic performer’s journey to acheive fame and stardom.
Kasi Lemmons, director of Harriet and Talk to Me, has collaborated with Academy Award-nominated writer and producer Anthony McCarten to create a film authentically representing the dominance Whitney Houston continues to preserve in music and pop culture. Aiding such a process in the production team is Patricia Houston, long-term manager and sister-in-law to the late singer.
Tackling the pivotal role of Houston is BAFTA award-winner Naomi Ackie, previously known for roles in Lady Macbeth and The End of the F***ing World.
Supporting Ackie is Stanley Tucci, interpreting the character of Houston’s former record producer and exploring the constrictive relationship he had with her. Fans are keen to watch how Lemmons will present Houston’s 14-year marriage with singer Bobby Brown, played by multi-award winner Ashton Sanders, who was charged with battery for assaulting Houston and heavily encouraged her opioid addiction.
Moses Ingram, from The Queen’s Gambit and Obi-Wan Kenobi, features as Houston’s best friend and romantic partner Robyn Crawford, appearing as a key character in the film’s trailer. Although Houston’s legacy is predominantly associated with her multi-octave vocal range, contributions to R&B, or even her screen-stealing characters in Waiting to Exhale and The Bodyguard, her presence is eternalised in contemporary stage performance.
In the trailer, themes of cultural heritage, vulnerability and opportunity are emphasised in the portrayal of the singer’s origins in the music industry. The trailer highlights how this fuses with the hardships Houston faced throughout her life, such as addiction, manipulation, homophobia and racial discrimination.
I Wanna Dance with Somebody will be released in UK cinemas on 23 December.
Words by Alanya Smith
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