Last month it was reported that Angela Bassett would make her directorial debut with the Lifetime movie Whitney Houston, a biopic chronicling Houston and Bobby Brown’s relationship. According to a press release, the movie will tell their story from “the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity to their courtship and tumultuous marriage.”
On Saturday night, Bassett confirmed that former America’s Next Top Model contestant Yaya DaCosta has landed the role of Houston. Since appearing on the third cycle of ANTM, DaCosta has appeared on All My Children, Ugly Betty and House and in the film Lee Daniels’ The Butler.
Unfortunately, Houston’s family isn’t gung ho about the movie. “Whitney is certainly worthy of more than a television movie,” says Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and former manager. “If Whitney were here today, this would not be happening.”
According to TMZ, the Houston family is considering a lawsuit to stop the movie 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.”
Bobbi Kristina also weighed in on the film. The only daughter of Houston and Brown feels that she is the only one suited to play the role of her mother.
It’ll be interesting to see who portrays Bobby Brown. The film is set to debut in 2015.
Yesha Callahan is editor of The Grapevine and a staff writer at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.
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