As time passes, there’s been more and more interest in musical days gone by. That’s led to a flurry of biopics focused on the stars of our (okay, fine, my) youth. Notable films of late include Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. Bohemian Rhapsody, of course, showcased the life of Queen front-man Freddie Mercury. Rocketman, in turn, is the story of Sir Elton John. Well, we recently learned that Sony Pictures would release a long-anticipated (inevitable?) Whitney Houston biopic, too. Now, in this exclusive, we bring you the first insight into the film.
Whether young or old(er), we all know the name Whitney Houston. She rose to stardom in the mid-eighties and became one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. From here breakout album “Whitney” in 1985, to The Bodyguard, to one of the greatest renditions of our National Anthem ever, there was little she touched that didn’t turn to proverbial gold. That success, however, came at a price; Houston died of a cocaine overdose in early 2012. Sony Pictures’ I Wanna Dance with Somebody tells her story.
Casting Whitney Houston
Sony firmly holds the reins to the project, and has begun the search for its lead. Last week the studio put out the following casting call for the role of Whitney Houston, giving us a hint of how they’ll portray the singer in the film:
Mid 20s – mid 30s, African American, Female; Lanky, warmly brown-skinned from East Orange, New Jersey. In the 80s she spoke like a shy ingénue but, with stardom her delivery showed equal parts wit and grace — apparent whenever she took the stage to exercise supreme control of her audiences. Her taxing personal life grew part of her public persona. Yet, the vulnerability of that New Jersey teenager was always just below her haughty facade as she fought to remain one of the greatest recording artists of all time.”
Director Stella Meghie (The Photograph) tells the story of Whitney Houston as the film’s director. Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes) both writes and produces.
Stay tuned here to That Hashtag Show for more details as they come!
