Clive Davis: biopic of Whitney Houston will reveal everything about singer

• The 90-year-old music executive is one of the film’s producers.
• The film stars Naomi Ackie and features his songs.
• Davis, who worked on several of Houston’s biggest singles and was a close friend before her death

Clive Davis, who worked on several of Houston’s biggest singles and was a close friend before her death in 2012, says the new film answers every question about the legend.

“Knowing all the questions people wanted to know about Whitney, I decided it’s only appropriate to do a film and answer all the questions,” adds Davis, who’s portrayed by a “uncanny” Stanley Tucci. “Then, music. You honor music by… Great copying rights. It was Whitney’s voice immediately.”

He believes Naomi’s audition clip was fantastic. “She researched it extensively. Within minutes, she’s Whitney. She does it in the movie.”

I Wanna Dance With Somebody chronicles Houston’s life narrative, from singing in a chorus as a teenager to becoming a star and dealing with the trappings of fame. The film depicts her marriage to Bobby Brown, drug usage, and early love with Robyn Crawford.

Crawford penned Song for You after Houston’s death. Crawford (Nafesa Williams) Houston dumps Crawford over her religion and the media.

Davis “never knew” about Houston’s “teenage affair” with Crawford and “just saw Whitney’s straight side.” He adds Houston and he “probably never talked” about their sexuality and he “never hid” his partner.

“We didn’t discuss it, but I think the movie is accurate,” he says.

Kasi Lemmons, the film’s director, said the tale of Whitney and Robyn was “extremely essential to me” since “we saw her with Robyn when she was a young actress and dancer.” Robyn was known. All knew. We were honest. We weren’t in the room with them, so much was conjecture, but she and Robyn were always together.

Lemmons adds, “After reading everyone’s book, seeing the documentaries, and doing the research, it was evident this was a vital relationship, even if it made some people uncomfortable.

The filmmaker explains, “That made it interesting, so I wanted to learn more.” “Without that relationship, I wouldn’t have taken the movie.”

Ackie, 31, says she learnt “so many things” about Houston while researching for the part, including her private and personal side. Nippy is less well-known than Whitney Houston.

Davis had a “great” and unique bond with Houston. He calls her “a once-in-a-lifetime singer, a musical genius with whom I had the honour of working” Lemmons hopes I Wanna Dance With Somebody shows Houston’s human side.

“Whitney was an icon,” adds Lemmons. “Seeing her break was incredible…. She seemed familiar. When I met her years later, when she was at the height of her game, I saw someone under a lot of pressure, who may have had difficulties with being famous, and who was very fatigued.”

“It’s a window into the world, and you think, ‘Oh, I get it. This is hard as a person. You’re under pressure, and this isn’t easy,'” she recalls. “I wanted to capture the event’s emotion”

Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody debuts Thursday.

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