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Naomi Ackie, played by DS In the new biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” she’s the first to admit she’s not a double of the pop star. In fact, she’d even go so far as to say that she doesn’t look like her at all.
“I was like, are you guys sure? Are you absolutely sure?” Ackie said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
But those who really know Huston, including her family and record producer Clive Davies, believe the rising British actor is a good fit for the film, which is a musical celebration and a tribute to A correction for other items. More erotic treatment.
From “Bohemian Rhapsody” writer Anthony McCarten, the film follows Houston’s rise from New Jersey choir girl to global superstar, focusing on the women behind the icon, Trouble, Triumph, and All, Until She Died in 2012 at the age of 48. It opens in theaters nationwide on Friday.
“It’s a study in the essence of Whitney, not the image of Whitney,” Akey said. “I figured, if I was going to do that, I’d be talking about Whitney’s inner world, and everything else was completely out of my control.”
A big part of this journey was finding the right director to help hold her hand and challenge her when needed. Kasi Lemmons and Ackie were strangers when they met, but they formed a quick, deep connection on a soul level.
They spoke to The Associated Press about Houston, society’s complicated relationship with its icons, and speaking the truth while maintaining dignity. Remarks have been edited for brevity and clarity.
AP: Cassie, what was your relationship with Whitney and how did that affect your approach?
LEMMONS: I watched her rise to fame as a young actress in New York City who was part of the black dance scene. I still remember the first time I met her, like who is this beautiful creature with this voice? But we also take ownership of her. We’re all busy with her business, it’s all guesswork, right? We don’t really know her well. 10 years later, at the peak of her career, I ended up writing two plays for her. So I have to see her as a woman. It’s like she’s sitting in the chair in front of me in her undershirt, she’s tired and excited and has a lot on her mind. During the same experience, I met (her father and manager) John Huston, and he was talking about branding and image. That’s the experience I wanted to bring to the film.
ACKIE: That’s exactly what I need. Someone who has a direct connection and insight, especially for this relationship, because it’s one of the most challenging relationships to try and unpack. But you took my hand and said, “I found you.”
AP: The question of identity is important here because everyone has a different idea of what she is and what she should be. How do you internalize this conflict?
ACKIE: I think it’s easy to identify with that, especially if you’re a woman, especially if you’re a woman of color. This part feels easy to me, and when you’re told who you should be, you can stick with it for a while. Then at some point, something inside of you changes and you can no longer.
AP: The film gives the song “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” new depth by tying it to her relationship with Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams).
ACKIE: That’s you, isn’t it?
LEMMONS: I would ask (the screenwriter) why is it called that? He would say it’s spirited, enthusiastic and uplifting. I thought, ‘Okay, but it has to make sense. ’ He wrote in the script that the song was “about desperately wanting to dance with someone, but for whatever reason you can’t.” I was like, I guess it’s about Robin!
AP: Her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl was a major moment in the film. Tell me about recreating it, and why it’s so important to her.
ACKIE: How many times has that song been performed? Let her make it so personal, so memorable? Even though (I) am not an American, it still makes me patriotic! But the shoot, I mean, it was shot in Florida, we shot it in November.
LEMMONS: In Boston.
ACKIE: Yes, you can see my breath.
LEMMONS: We dropped a little bit. I think one of my favorite things was when she was herself in that moment. She doesn’t want to wear a dress. She chooses what she wears. She said no, this will be my rhythm. I want it to go slower. And then take it to these great heights? We’re trying to make it exciting for everyone who watches it, even if you see it on TV, even if you’re not there.
AP: The film also doesn’t shy away from her drug use, but it’s very sensitive.
LEMMONS: We want it to be real. I have to give the estate credit for getting us where we are. Sometimes I have to push them into their comfort zone and they’re willing to say, okay, yeah, that’s what makes them great, because I don’t think I would have made this movie if it wasn’t for one aspect of it. It’s part of the story, it’s what I observed, and it’s what ultimately leads to her death.
ACKIE: We have to keep reminding ourselves that this is a disease. These sufferers are not villains themselves or others. They’re victims of the disease, and in a way giving Whitney space and space to get a little sympathy when he speaks about it. How scary it must have been to go through all the struggles and addictions and then have a good portion of the media attack you and make fun of you during that time. I can’t even imagine it. So it’s important to show it, but also make sure we uphold her dignity.
LEMMONS: That’s it, keeping her dignity and really making you appreciate what’s admirable about her. Even in that fight, there was something very admirable about it. It’s very human, we try, we fail, we hope, we dream. We hope it will get better and do our best, then we go backwards.
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Follow Associated Press film writer Lindsay Barr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.
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