In the upcoming Lifetime biopic about the late legendary singer, Whitney Houston’s voice will not be used.
The movie will neither feature the voice of former America’s Next Top Model contestant Yaya DaCosta, who is portraying the lead role in the Angela Bassett-directed film.
A Lifetime representative said that the “music rights and clearances are still being worked out,” but R&B singer Deborah Cox would be providing the “vocal tracks.” Cox is best known for the hit 1998 track “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here.”
Bassett explained in an interview with CNN how the cast and crew are trying to depict the singer in the best way possible, however the darker days in Houston’s life are hard to hide. “Well, we know that drugs were a part of their story and that’s certainly an element of their story. We can’t tell their story without that,” she told CNN. “It’s involved, and I hope we can unpack it gently.”
“I really just want to tell a story about a boy and a girl who fell in love,” she explained. “And these are the words and this is the place, and these are are the people on the outside, you know? And I want to be as honest as I can about about doing that.”
Her family, who has previously showed their disapproval of the film, will not be involved in the project. It is said that the biopic is to be centered on her unstable relationship with Bobby Brown.
The cast includes Yolanda Ross as Houston’s best friend, Robyn Crawford, Suzzanne Douglas as her mom Cissy, and Mark Rolston as Clive Davis, the music industry icon who discovered Houston in 1983.
The movie is set to premiere on Lifetime next year.
