Bobby Brown Actor Defends Whitney Houston Biopic

Whitney Houston’s mother recently expressed her objection to the TV film about her daughter’s life that is being developed by the Lifetime channel. However, Arlen Escarpeta, the actor who portrays Bobby Brown in the film, told The Hollywood Reporter that while he understands her feelings, he feels the film respects the late singer’s memory.

“I really do feel like it does do her justice, and at the same time, I do understand their reservations,” Escarpeta said at the premiere of his new film Into the Storm. “That’s close to home. That’s family. You have to respect family when it comes to matters of the heart. Respect to those guys absolutely. I understand that you do want to keep a bit of distance. If and when they do see the film, they’ll see it came from a place of love.”

He also discussed the film’s director, Angela Bassett, who previously starred alongside Houston in the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale. “Angela Bassett is such a phenomenal director … and to tell that story from the inside out was a pleasure,” he said. “We shot the film with love, we approached it with love and I really feel like we have something special there. Yaya [DaCosta, who’s playing Houston] did a phenomenal job … I have no complaints. I’m truly head over heels just blessed and happy.”

The film, titled Whitney Houston, focuses on Houston’s relationship with ex-husband Bobby Brown, starting from when they first met to their messy divorce.

Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston, told ET Online last month how unhappy she was that the network decided to make the film. “Lifetime has chosen to go ahead with the movie about Whitney in spite of my family’s objections. No one connected with this movie knew Whitney or anything about her relationship with Bobby,” she said. “In the two years since Whitney’s death, many people have stepped forward to speak about their close relationship with her. I find it difficult to believe people who knew and supposedly loved her would participate in a movie about her done by folks who didn’t know her. We are exhausted by the continuing misinformation and comments offered by people who did not know her. Please please let her rest.”

Lifetime has not yet announced a release date for the film.