Last week it was announced that Angela Bassett would be making her directorial debut in the Lifetime movie Whitney Houston, a biopic chronicling Houston and Bobby Brown’s relationship. According to the press release, the movie would tell their story from “the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity to their courtship and tumultuous marriage.”
“I have such regard for both Whitney’s and Bobby’s amazing talents and accomplishments; and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story," Bassett said in the release. “Their humanity and bond fascinates us all. I’m beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world.”
But not everyone was excited to hear the news about the movie, specifically members of Houston’s family. Days after the news hit, Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and former manager, spoke to TMZ and expressed displeasure. “Whitney is certainly worthy of more than a television movie,” Pat said. “If Whitney were here today, this would not be happening.”
According to TMZ, the Houston family is also considering a lawsuit to stop the move from happening. “We’re told the family has already expressed displeasure to Lifetime and made it clear they weren’t on board with a TV movie,” the site states. “Sources close to the Houston family tell us the estate is planning its own movie for the big screen—à la the This Is It Michael Jackson flick.”
Now it’s Bobbi Kristina’s turn to speak. Whitney and Bobby’s only daughter recently shared her own thoughts about the movie, and she’s not exactly fond of the idea, either:
https://twitter.com/REALbkBrown/status/471086463657205761
But she also has an idea about who should play her mother, and it’s the only person she thinks her mother would approve of:
https://twitter.com/REALbkBrown/status/471087122842415105https://twitter.com/REALbkBrown/status/471087537101217792https://twitter.com/REALbkBrown/status/471090694762029056
So far there are no other details about the movie or potential cast, but Whitney Houston has a projected airdate of 2015. One has to wonder if Bobby Brown has anything to say about the film.
Yesha Callahan is editor of The Grapevine and a staff writer at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.