Naomi Ackie on Whitney Houston: Her triumph over hardship is her music

Naomi Ackie said Whitney Houston was able to “triumph” over her “hard times” with her music as she takes on the role of the global star in an upcoming biopic.

The British actress also said she is starring in I Wanna Dance With Somebody as she wanted to do something “scary” at this point in her career.

Speaking to the magazine Elle UK about Houston’s legacy, Ackie said: “With biopics, everyone knows the story, so it wasn’t like we could go through the whole thing and be like, ‘Everything was fine!’

“But at the same time, most people live their lives dealing with really hard things and finding joy.

“The triumph is that she’s left us with a huge amount of music and that she did have love.”

At her peak, Houston was considered one of the greatest singers ever thanks to hits including How Will I Know, I Will Always Love You and I Have Nothing.

She was found dead at the age of 48 in a hotel in Beverly Hills in 2012 and a coroner found cocaine had been a contributing factor.

Ackie also said that playing Houston and getting older taught her to not give a “shit” about what she looks like and whether she fits in society.

She added: “My thirties are giving me a little bit more confidence and stability in myself.”

Ackie, also known for appearing in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and The End of the F***ing World, said she was “happy” as a supporting actor.

She added: “But I also get to a point where I’m like, ‘I need to do something that’s scary.’

“For me that’s not jumping out of a plane, it’s doing a project outside of my comfort zone.”

Ackie also said she wants to play something “crazy” like Cleopatra, take a break from acting or “maybe” start dating again.

She added: “I have the power and privilege right now to be able to redress it and just take a second to fill myself up a little bit before I go back out again and try something different.

“It only makes me more excited to come back.”

Ackie will also star in actress Zoe Kravitz’s directional debut Pussy Island, a thriller where a waitress is taken to a private island by a tech mogul.

For more see https://www.elle.com/uk/