Yaya Dacosta

Well who ever said a bit of controversy would be bad for ratings? Certainly not Lifetime, who on Saturday evening scored their highest ratings in a year with their biopic of singer Whitney Houston. 4.5 million viewers tuned in on Saturday night to see Whitney, making it the highest rated show on US television that evening, just behind NBC’s ‘Dateline’ and CBS’s ’48 Hours’.

Yaya DaCosta as Whitey Houston

Most viewers also chose to stick around after the movie had finished to watch Houston’s former husband Bobby Brown give his perspective on life with the troubled singer, in an interview which drew 4.1 million viewers. The next hour 3.2 million stayed on the channel to watch a special on the singer’s greatest performances.

Continue reading: Controversial Whitney Houston Biopic Brings In Big Ratings For Lifetime

So Lifetime’s Whitney Houston biopic premiered last night. Discuss. This one was directed by Angela Bassett and Lifetime really wanted you to know that. Because, as you may know, if you’ve been paying any attention to Lifetime recently, their Aaliyah biopic was, well, less than great, so they had a lot to make up for.

Whitney was better than Aaliyah, but not by much.

Enter Angela Bassett, the woman who who starred in Waiting To Exhale — you remember, the movie where Whitney sang that Shoop Shoop song. She’s in the know and has a lot of healthy respect for Whitney’s story – this time, it had to go right.

Continue reading: Better, But Not Good: Lifetime's Bobby Brown-Centric Biopic "Whitney" Doesn't Make Up For "Aaliyah"

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

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