I Wanna Dance With Somebody: Naomi Ackie Explains How They Filmed a World Tour in One Day

In Sony’s biopic, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, actress Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker) portrays 6-time Grammy Award-winning singer Whitney Houston in an emotional account of the bestselling artist’s rise to stardom. Written by Bohemian Rhapsody’s Anthony McCarten, the film will take fans through the ups and downs of Houston’s life, from the beginning to the painful end, and will feature a number of her chart-topping tracks. Director Kasi Lemmons enlisted the aid of Houston’s estate, involving her former collaborator and manager, Clive Davis (played by Stanely Tucci), and Houston’s sister-in-law, Pat Houston, to produce, in order to tell her story with honesty and respect. In addition to Ackie and Tucci, I Wanna Dance With Somebody also stars Nafessa Williams, Tamara Tunie, Clarke Peters, and Ashton Sanders. Before I Wanna Dance With Somebody hits theaters, Collider’s Steve Weintraub spoke with the leading lady, Naomi Ackie, about how she prepared for this massive role