Naomi Ackie stars as Whitney Houston in the first trailer for I want to dance with someone, the biographical drama that follows the life of the iconic singer. The film is described as “The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop singer of all time. Following her journey from obscurity to musical superstar.”
I want to dance with someone starring Stanley Tucci as legendary record producer Clive Davis, while Ackie stars as Whitney Houston. Tamara Tunie, Clarke Peters, Ashton Sanders and Nafessa Williams round out the cast. The first trailer for the upcoming biopic can be found below.
I want to dance with someone will span the singer’s entire life, from her inception and being noticed by Clive Davis to her being told that music “isn’t black enough” and then sold-out concerts in huge arenas. It is unknown how far the film will go, as Houston unfortunately struggled with drug addiction towards the end of her career and sadly passed away in 2012.
Anthony McCarten is set to write the script, whose previous work also includes: Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic about the life of Freddie Mercury. Whitney Houston was a global icon during her illustrious career, with hits such as ‘Greatest Love of All’, ‘I Have Nothing’ and ‘I’m Your Baby Tonight’. I want to dance with someone will be released later this year, on December 21.
Naomi Ackie Says Her Anxiety Helped Her Play Whitney Houston
Playing an international icon is an overwhelming task, and Naomi Ackie admits it caused quite a bit of anxiety when she was cast in the role. However, during an interview with The Whitney Houston Platinum Clubthe actress said her fear was the catalyst for putting in a great performance in I want to dance with someone.
“I’ve been thinking about this lately, about work in general and what it brings to you as an artist and then to you as an individual. This was maybe the first time I felt my fear of playing Whitney Houston was a bit bit of a catalyst in a way I hadn’t experienced before.So you know there are the normal things, learn the accent, how do her lips move around a song, what does she look like physically, how does she present herself? was this – the biggest thing I can remember from last year is controlling my fear of what I want to create and what I think other people want to see. That was a real struggle for me.”
Sony and Ackie have a monumental task on their hands to put Whitney Houston’s story center stage in December. A musician as beloved as Houston should be treated with care, especially if the studio wants a successful biopic with audiences and critics. So hit theaters on December 21 to see Ackie as Whitney Houston in I want to dance with someone.