MANILA, Philippines — Actress Naomi Ackie transforms into the late Whitney Houston for the trailer of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," a biopic of the late singer that takes its name from one of Houston's many hits.
The trailer begins with quick clips of Oprah Winfrey introducing Ackie's Houston to an excited crowd, followed by Houston being told her music "isn't black enough," which she absolutely detests hearing.
"Music is not a color to me. It has no boundaries... I sing what I want to sing, be how I wanna be, reach as big an audience as I can," says Houston as another of her hit songs, "I Will Always Love You," plays.
Papparazzi clips and scenes of Houston with her parents played by Clarke Peters and Tamara Tunie then play, and Ackie's Houston belts out the famous chorus.
WATCH: Naomi Ackie turns into Whitney Houston in the biopic "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"
Also in the cast are Ali Asghar Shah, Ashton Sanders, Nafessa Williams and Stanley Tucci as Houston's record producer Clive Davis who serves as a producer on the film.
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody" is directed by Kasi Lemmons and written by Anthony McCarten, the award-winning screenwriter of "The Theory of Everything," "Darkest Hour," "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Two Popes."
The film will be released in Philippine theaters in January 2023, a month after its worldwide premiere due to the Metro Manila Film Festival during Christmas week. — Video from Columbia Pictures Philippines YouTube channel
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