*We caught up with actor Ashton Sanders (Moonlight) to unpack his portrayal as Bobby Brown in the upcoming biopic “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
Directed by Kasi Lemmons, British actress Naomi Ackie stars as Houston in the feature set to release in theaters nationwide on December 23rd. The story follows Houston’s humble beginning and rise to fame, with all the trials and tribulations along the way. Executive Producer Clive Davis, who was Whitney’s mentor, previously said that the project will be a “no holds barred” portrait of the artist, and he won’t sugar-coat anything.
Ackie is best known for her role on Netflix’s “The End of the F***Ing World.” She’s also starred in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and Steve McQueen’s new anthology series “Small Axe”.
“Preparing to play Whitney Houston has been an incredible experience. I’ve learnt so much more about her and myself than I could have imagined. I’m so excited to get on that film set and honor her legacy! With Kasi on board, I know we can create something truly wonderful,” Ackie previously said.
READ MORE: Bobby Brown Claims Whitney Houston Cheated on Him with Tupac
Per the official synopsis: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a powerful and triumphant celebration of the incomparable Whitney Houston. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, written by Academy Award® nominee Anthony McCarten, produced by legendary music executive Clive Davis and starring BAFTA Award® winner Naomi Ackie, the film is a no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice. From New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time, audiences are taken on an inspirational, poignant—and so emotional—journey through Houston’s trailblazing life and career, with show-stopping performances and a soundtrack of the icon’s most beloved hits as you’ve never heard them before. Don’t you wanna dance?
Speaking to Variety, Clive Davis, who signed Whitney to her record contract, said of the film: “I have a mission here. I have a mission to make sure that for all time that the full picture of Whitney Houston is captured in a no-holds-barred film that is musically rich and shows her genius and more of her character than we have seen to date.”
EUR’s Ny MaGee chopped it up with Ashton about how he prepared to mentally occupy the headspace of Bobby Brown for this project. Check out what he had to say in the clip below.
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