Naomi Ackie portrayed Whitney Houston in the 2022 biographical film I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The film dramatizes Houston’s rise from New Jersey singer to international pop icon and follows major stages of her personal and professional life.
Directed by Kasi Lemmons and written by Anthony McCarten, the movie was produced with the involvement of music executive Clive Davis, who played an important role in Houston’s career. Ackie’s performance earned a nomination for the BAFTA EE Rising Star Award in 2023.
The casting can be confused with other music biopics. Jennifer Hudson played Aretha Franklin in Respect, while Keke Palmer and Cynthia Erivo have portrayed other prominent musical figures in film and television. The movie’s title comes from Houston’s 1987 hit “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” one of the songs associated with her breakthrough pop era.