Dionne Warwick Slams Upcoming Whitney Houston Biopic

Dionne Warwick has spoken out regarding the upcoming Whitney Houston biopic being produced by Clive Davis –– and she’s not a fan of the idea. The “I Say a Little Prayer for You” singer says she thinks it’s time that Hollywood let the memory of Houston rest in peace. 

“I want them to let Whitney rest in peace,” she told The Los Angeles Times. “Leave her alone. Ten years [since she died]–it’s time to let her sleep.”

I Wanna Dance With Somebody is meant to be Davis’ love letter to his former friend and client. Houston’s longtime manager shares with Variety that he decided to embark on the venture due to a lack of promising documentaries that properly encapsulated the icon’s legacy. “I have a mission here,” he previously said to Variety. “I have a mission to make sure that for all time that the full picture of Whitney Houston is captured in a no-holds-barred film that is musically rich and shows her genius and more of her character than we have seen to date.”

Davis is working with screenwriter Anthony McCarten to develop the script. His plan is to use the singer’s original vocals for the movie, so actress Naomi Ackie (who is playing Houston) won’t have any issues trying to step into Houston’s shoes as far as vocal abilities are concerned. Sony Pictures has grabbed the film’s distribution rights, which is a natural next step for the company considering its music division is still the owner of Whitney’s catalog. Ashton Sanders joins Ackie among the cast as Bobby Brown and Moses Ingram will also play Robyn Crawford, the singer’s former creative director, best friend, and assistant. Kasi Lemmons is attached as the director.  

“There was a fierce competition for the movie,” Davis says. “I’m happy to say the reaction to the script was good. Almost every studio head called to tell me about their passion for the project. They know Whitney has been captured and the opportunity here is so special and unique.”