Actress Naomi Ackie has officially transformed into Whitney Houston in the first look at the upcoming musical biopic,I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Ackie’s earlier roles drew massive critical attention and praise her way, most notably her television debut as Jen in the famousDoctor Whofranchise.
From there, Ackie went on to star as Bonnie in theBritish Comedy show,The End of the F***ing World. However, despite her earlier success, the role she is perhaps most renownedly known for didn’t come until her 2019 breakout performance as Jannah inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Since Ackie seems to be tackling multiple genres with force such as comedy, sci-fi, and action, all that’s seemingly left for her to explore is drama, which she will certainly be diving deep into with her upcoming role as the iconic Whitney Houston. She has showcased throughout her career thus far that she is able to be brave enough to take on multiple different types of roles across various genres of film, and that she thrives off of that exploration. In late 2020, Ackie was officially cast to play Houston inSony’s highly-anticipated biopic.
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Since it was announced that Ackie would be portrayingthe late musical icon, fans have been anticipating seeing her in action. Luckily, a brand-new poster forI Wanna Dance With Somebodyhas just been released, giving fans a first look at Ackie as the incredible Houston. The poster features Ackie with her arms spread out like a bird’s wings, both palms open, head facing up to the sky. The background behind her consists of distorted white city lights and the purple haze of midnight rolling across the photo. Her energy from this pose alone suggests that Ackie has perfectly tapped into Houston’s energy, one of profound inner strength and unrelenting compassion - a true, free songbird.
Along with the poster reveal, the first substantial plot details for the film have also finally been shared as well. According to the official synopsis,I Wanna Dance With Somebodywill take “audiences on an emotional, energetic journey through Houston’s career and music.” Taking its name from the singer’s hit classic from 1987,I Wanna Dance With Somebody’s script hails fromAcademy Award-nominatedscreenwriter Anthony McCarten. McCarten is most known for his work on the previous musical biopic,Bohemian Rhapsody.I Wanna Dance With Somebodyis set to be directed by Kasi Lemmons. Ackie stars as the main lead in the film, alongside co-stars Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, andThe Wire’s Clarke Peters.
I Wanna Dance With Somebodywill most likely follow the tragic events that led to Houston’s fatal drug overdose in 2021, including her stormy marriage to singer Bobby Brown as well as her consistent struggles with alcohol abuse. She was only 48 years old when she passed.
I Wanna Dance With Somebodyis scheduled to premiere in theaters on December 21st, 2022.
