Last week, the world got a glimpse of Yaya DaCosta as she put on her best Tyra Banks “smize” for her Whitney Houston biopic publicity photo. The Lifetime biopic chronicling Houston’s life is being shot in Los Angeles, with Angela Bassett making her directorial debut. Lifetime stated that Whitney will mainly focus on Houston’s life in the early- to mid-1990s, when she skyrocketed to fame.
Today, Lifetime released a new photo of “Whitney” and “Bobby”, with DaCosta posing with Arlen Escarpata in what looks like a Gumby lace front. The Belizean-born Escarpata, 33, will portray Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown. Escarpata has appeared in The Shield, Judging Amy, Boomtown, ER and Cold Case.
Houston and Brown met in 1989 and were married in 1992. The following year, their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was born. Bobbi Kristina has been vocal about the Houston biopic, going as far as calling Bassett a “basket case” and insinuating that she was born a man.
Houston’s former manager and sister-in-law, Pat Houston, also expressed displeasure about the biopic; she thought Houston’s story was too big for the small screen.
Whitney is set to air on Lifetime in 2015.
Yesha Callahan is editor of the Grapevine and a staff writer at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.