In theaters since Wednesday, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” traces the journey of one of the greatest American singers. In the skin of Whitney Houston, we find Naomi Ackie, seen recently in “Master of None”. Back on his journey.
After a TV movie in 2015 and a documentary in 2018, the life of Whitney Houston is now retraced in a feature film. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody is produced by Clive Davis, the singer’s former producer, and written by Anthony McCarten, who is not on his first biopic since we owe him Bohemian Rhapsody.
It is the English actress Naomi Ackie who has the heavy responsibility of bringing Whitney Houston back to life. The actress is an early fan of the singer: “I don’t quite know how to put it, but Whitney has always been an integral part of my life. She’s been there every moment of my life – every wedding, every funeral, every christening, birthday, karaoke night, whatever. I am alone or with friends”.
Born in Walthamstow, UK, Naomi Ackie was raised by parents from Grenada. She developed a passion for comedy very early on and studied drama at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, from which she graduated in 2012.
Agency / Bestimage
He will have to wait until 2015 to land his first on-screen role, during an episode of Doctor Who. The following year, she played a servant in the service of Florence Pugh in The Young Lady. His performance earned him the British Independent Film Award for Best Newcomer.
The actress has a string of projects, both on television and in the cinema, notably in 2019 in the pilot of a canceled spin-off of Game of Thrones. The same year, she stood out in season 2 of The End of the F***ing World on Netflix, playing an unbalanced young woman who tracks down the duo of killer teenagers. Audiences also see her in the credits of Star Wars Episode IX, The Rise of Skywalker, as the warrior Jannah.
She then appeared in an episode of Small Axe, Steve McQueen’s mini-series on the West Indian community in London between 1969 and 1982, as well as in season 3 of Master of None, centered on the couple she forms with Lena Waithe.
netflix
Naomi Ackie in “The End of the F***ing World”
With the biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, she landed the first leading role of her career. To slip into the skin of the singer, she collaborated with vocal coach Bridgette Jackson and choreographer Polly Bennett – who has coached on Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis and The Crown – to develop a gesture corresponding to the singer and restore his most emblematic performances.
Find all the cinema releases of the week
We will soon find her in Pussy Island, Zoë Kravitz’s first production, and Mickey 17 by Bong Joon-ho, alongside Robert Pattinson.