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Tonight the Lifetime biopic of late singer Whitney Houston finally gets its airing and viewers are expecting the drama onscreen to be at least equal to that which has happened off screen. Since the film was announced, Houston’s family have spoken out against the project, leading first time director Angela Bassett to be continually on the defensive about the film.

Yaya DaCosta stars as Whitey Houston

Ahead of the film’s television premiere tonight (January 17th), Pat Houston, the late singer’s sister in-law and President of her estate, has released a scathing statement condemning the movie. “I say this to all Whitney's family, friends and fan base: If you watch this movie, watch it knowing that Lifetime is notorious for making bad biopics of deceased celebrities and brace yourself for the worst,” wrote Houston.

Continue reading: What To Expect From Tonight's Lifetime Whitney Houston Biopic

It would probably be an understatement to say that Whitney Houston was a beloved musician. The singer, actress and model has been often hailed as the most awarded musician of all time, and whether you listen to her songs as part of the soundtrack for a critically-polarising movie or while dancing the year away on 31st December each year, Houston is still the only artist to have seven consecutive top charting singles.

Yolanda Ross, Deborah Cox, Angela Bassett, Yaya DaCosta, Suzzanne Douglas and Arlen Escarpeta at the 'Whitney' premiere (credit Angela Weiss - Getty Images)

In the upcoming Lifetime biopic, 'Whitney', the life of the performer and her relationship with husband Bobby Brown, is charted from the days of her humble church choir beginnings up until her tragic death from a combination of heart failure and drowning at the guest room of The Beverly Hilton. Coincidently, just a few blocks away from the site of her death stands The Paley Centre for Media - the site of the premiere for 'Whitney'.

Continue reading: The Stars Come Out At The Whitney Houston Biopic Première [Photos]

The first trailer for Lifetime’s Whitney Houston biopic has hit and is it too early to say that this one actually looks pretty compelling? The trailer made its debut Thursday (December 4th) on Buzzfeed, ahead of the film’s premiere on Saturday, January 17th.

Yaya DaCosta stars as Whitney Houston

Directed by Houston’s Waiting to Exhale co-star Angela Bassett, the film stars former ‘America’s Top Model’ contestant Yaya DaCosta as the ultimately tragic singer. Grammy nominee Deborah Cox provides the vocals for DaCosta’s Houston and Brotherhood actor Arlen Escarpeta stars as her former husband Bobby Brown.

Continue reading: Lifetime Releases First Trailer For Angela Bassett Directed Whitney Houston Biopic

The Whitney Houston Lifetime biopic is going ahead as planned, but the singer’s family is not happy about it. Cissy Houston, mother of the late singer, issued a statement this Wednesday, distancing herself and the family from the film, which she considers poorly researched and disrespectful to the musical icon’s memory.

Whitney and Sissy Houston at the 2010 Black Ball in NYC.

In a statement issued to Entertainment Tonight, Cissy Houston said: “No one connected with this movie knew Whitney or anything about her relationship with Bobby. 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.”

Continue reading: Angela Bassett To Make Best Of Whitney Houston Biopic, Despite Protests

Production is well underway on Lifetime's upcoming Whitney Houston biopic, which will feature some of the late singing legend's music. However, the songs will be retakes of Houston's hit tracks with Deborah Cox providing the vocals to Yaya DaCosta's acting abilities.

The former America's Next Top Model hopeful is playing Hosuton in the Angela Bassett-directed film but seemingly has been selected for her uncanny physical similarity to Houston rather than her voice match. Therefore, Cox will be singing the "vocal tracks" although "music rights and clearances are still being worked out," according to a Lifetime rep, via E!.

Bassett, who co-starred with Houston in Waiting to Exhale, is making her directorial debut with the Lifetime original movie about the singer, who died in 2007. In particular, the biopic will reportedly focus on Houston's relationship with Bobby Brown, who will be played by Arlen Escarpeta.

Continue reading: Deborah Cox To Sing Whitney Houston’s Hits As Lifetime Biopic Takes Shape

Yaya DaCosta has been cast as Whitney Houston in the upcoming Lifetime biopic, according to reports in the Huffington Post. Whitney Houston's life is set to be adapted for the small screen by Lifetime and actress Angela Bassett is set to direct the film.

Yaya DaCosta has been cast as Whitney Houston.

Houston, who died in 2012 aged just 48, will be played by DaCosta. The actress and model first graced our screens when she appeared on America's Next Top Model Cycle 3 in 2004. She has since appeared in numerous television and film roles including, most recently, Lee Daniels' The Butler. The 31-year-old also appeared in such series as Ugly Betty, House and All My Children. 

Continue reading: Yaya DaCosta To Play Whitney Houston In Lifetime Biopic

Lifetime has announced it will be producing and broadcasting a film biopic of Whitney Houston and actress Angela Bassett will be directing.

Whitney Houston pictured in 2011.

Houston, who died in 2012 aged 48, led a turbulent yet highly fruitful life, marked by her phenomenal successes in both the music and film industry. However, her marriage to Bobby Brown was certainly difficult with rumours surrounding his infidelity, drug use and legal difficulties becoming well known and widely discussed. The couple married in 1992 and divorced in 2007, they have one daughter together Bobbi Kristina (now 21 years old). 

Continue reading: Angela Bassett To Direct Lifetime Whitney Houston Biopic

Besides being the most aptly named episode of American Horror Story so far  – several characters literally went to hell – last night's Go To Hell also finally laid out some of this season’s mechanics, like those infamous Seven Wonders we’ve been hearing so much about. And do we even need to say it? Spoilers ahead. So many spoilers.

With Fiona (Jessica Lange) and three other characters biting the dust in this episode, things are hitting the fan.

"Every generation needs its leader, the Supreme. No simple test could ever determine the sovereign among us. We rely upon seven,” we learn from a handy witchcraft tutorial. Those seven turn out to be telekinesis, concilium (controlling someone else’s mind), transmutation (transporting oneself to another location), divination (to see the future), vitalum vitalis (to bring a person back from the dead), descensum (to move between life and the afterlife) and pyrokinesis (to control fire with the mind). This means that whoever gets to be the Supreme (Fiona was betting on Queenie in this episode) will have to perform all three during a ceremony in the next and final episode.

Continue reading: AHS Coven Recap: "Go To Hell" Or The One Where Everybody Died.

This week is pretty much all about The Hunger Games as Catching Fire arrives in cinemas around the world. After last week's world premiere in London, the cast headed back to America for back-to-back premieres in Los Angeles and New York. Meanwhile, a range of clips and short online features have whipped up fan frenzy to potentially record-breaking box office potential. Take a look over all the best bits of the American premiere's here or our The Hunger Games: Catching Fire critics round up here or just read our own review here. 

Slightly less flashy was the New York premiere of the Christmas drama Black Nativity, attended by stars Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker, all caught by paparazzi on the red carpet looking very glamorous. The film opens in time for the holidays. Check out our videos from the event Jacob Latimore and Angela Bassett arrive, Jennifer Hudson shows off her stunning pixie crop and Forest Whitaker takes his family to 'Black Nativity' NY Premiere.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Catching Fire Lands In Cinemas, Black Nativity Premieres, A First Peek Into Noah's Ark

Executive producer Ryan Murphy has revealed that American Horror Story season four will either stick around in New Orleans or move to Santa Fe. Murphy also confirmed that it won't be a contemporary story.

Kathy Bates in 'American Horror Story'

"It's either going to shoot in New Orleans or it's going to shoot in Santa Fe," he told Entertainment Weekly. 

Continue reading: American Horror Story Season 4 To Be Set In New Orleans, Or Santa Fe