Who was the real Whitney Houston? With a biopic on the way, here’s what we know so far

It’s about time Whitney Houston got a biopic — after all, she lived a life worthy of one.

Decades ago, a shocking loss left millions of American and global fans grieving for their beloved artist, vocalist, and actor Whitney Houston. Despite her untimely death, Whitney left a priceless legacy for everyone who enjoyed her music. It’s also a treasure for those in the future who would come to discover her talent.

Her new biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the namesake of one of her most loved songs, aims at poignantly recounting the star’s exceptional life. It does make us wonder just who this woman was behind all her fame, talent, and controversies. Satisfy your curiosities about the superstar below, ahead of the biopic’s release on December 23rd.

Getting to know Whitney Houston

Born in 1963, singer, actress, producer, and model, Whitney Elizabeth Houston celebrated her birthday on August 9. She began her artistic career as a model and was later catapulted into Hollywood stardom with her self-titled debut album. The soulful vocalist has has sold over 200 million records worldwide and several awards, from Emmys to Grammys, under her belt. However, it is her sheer talent and hard work that make us love her and not these accolades.

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Behind all the glamor, Houston had her own battles to fight

Turns out, money and fame are not what it takes to be happy. After almost two decades of building a successful career in Hollywood and being an ‘unproblematic celeb’, Houston’s behavior suddenly turned erratic. To the tabloids, it seemed like all the fame had gotten to the vocalist’s head and they did not shy from saying that but the reality was likely much different. It wasn’t long before people caught wind of her substance abuse rumors that were fueled by her sudden weight loss and increasingly unprofessional behavior. This was confirmed when airport security seized half an ounce of marijuana from her personal belongings at an airport in Hawaii. Her marital life also struggled with her spouse, Bobby Brown, who allegedly assaulted Whitney and was charged with battery in 2003. It is no secret that Hollywood has a side everyone ignores, yet it rears its ugly head time and again.

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Though the spinto soprano never explicitly came out, there were plenty of rumors surrounding Whitney’s sexuality

It’s tough enough to live with cameras pointed at you every moment you step out of your house. Try doing that when you’re struggling to make sense of the person you are and who you love. Houston grew up in a very religious household and it looks like there were two parts of her identity that had taken up cudgels against each other. It must have been especially hard being in her unique position- one of the most famous women alive, having a religious upbringing and belonging to a culture that was not as open to queerness. It was never confirmed by the singer, but her alleged lover Robyn Crawford did open up about their intimate relationship, finally establishing that the star could indeed have been bisexual.

Related: Will the new Whitney Houston biopic address her long-rumored gay romance?

Despite personal struggles with her sexuality, Houston was an ally all the way

Whitney never got the opportunity to stand in front of her fans as her true self. But being the icon that she was, she had cemented her support for the LGBTQ+ community long before her passing. 

Whitney made a surprise appearance at a Pride event in New York, in 1999. Her song “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is considered a queer classic for not being gender specific. She did not care about conforming to speculations thrown her way and making a statement about her sexuality when it was not on her own terms.

In a 2000 interview with Out, she dispelled rumors about her own sexuality while voicing support for the LGBTQ community, saying, “I don’t care who you sleep with… If I’m your friend, I’m your friend. I have friends who are in the community.”

Whitney’s biopic will capture her meteoric rise to fame and becoming a voice loved by millions

Brought to life by the talented Star Wars actress Naomi Ackie, we are excited to get a peek into how this star came to be. The film is sure to give an inside look into her personal life but no one can say how much of it will be laid out naked on the big screen. We also see other familiar faces with Nafessa Williams playing Robyn Crawford and Ashton Sanders cast as Bobby Brown.

This is not the first try at a Whitney biopic but the fact that it comes with the Houston estate’s approval does give us high hopes. Whatever the case, we’ll be in the theater watching the latest attempt at remembering an artist who had immortalized herself long before this biopic. 

Check out the trailer below:

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