‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ Actor Took 8 Months to Learn Whitney Houston’s Mannerisms
Fans of Whitney Houston have been waiting a long time for the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and it is finally here. Naomi Ackie stars in a breakout role as the iconic singer. The official website calls the film “a no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice.”
It goes on to say it is 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.”
Who is Naomi Ackie?
Ackie is an English actor who grew up in the London borough of Walthamstow, England. She told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on TODAY that she was a shy child and expressed herself through acting, “It helped me conquer my shyness,” she said. She has been acting since she was 11 years old.
In 2015 she starred in the short film I Used to be Famous and debuted on TV as Jen in Doctor Who. One of her most prominent roles before I Wanna Dance With Somebody was Jannah in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. She was also featured in The End of the F***ing World on Netflix, according to IMDb.
She also spoke to the co-hosts about the death of her mother. She said her mom always encouraged her and gave her the confidence to learn her craft.
How Ackie learned Houston’s mannerisms
Kotb and Bush Hager asked Ackie how she transformed into Houston. “I was working with some amazing people, a dialect coach, like Denise Woods…” she replied. Bush pointed out that it is Whitney’s voice we hear in the movie but that Ackie still needed to learn the superstar’s mannerisms.
It took her eight months to perfect those mannerisms, but she did not take all the credit. “It was very much a team effort,” she said. They also spoke of the support from Whitney’s family, as well as Clive Davis, who was her mentor.
“To have their support, and also to know that they really enjoyed the film … I’m so touched by it,” Ackie told them. The actor also said she was a huge fan of Houston, “Big time!” she exclaimed. The first time she saw the superstar was as the fairy godmother in Cinderella.
‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ cast
In addition to Ackie as Houston, the film also stars Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis, the producer and record executive who helped guide Houston’s career. Ashton Sanders plays Houston’s husband, bad boy Bobby Brown. Her mom, Cissy Houston, is played by Tamara Tunie.
Nafessa Williams plays her best friend, Robyn Crawford. Rounding out the cast is Clarke Peters as her dad John Houston, and Bria Danielle Singleton as her daughter Bobbi Christina.
Showbiz 411 said about the film, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody is no whitewash. It’s a balanced mix of dark and light. But in the end, what propels it is The Voice, the best voice of her generation. Whitney Houston’s music is what survives the scandal and gossip, and that gorgeous shimmering sound is what remains.”
