Cissy Houston Speaks Out Against Whitney Houston Biopic
Cissy Houston is expressing her issues with her late daughter and singer Whitney Houston's upcoming Lifetime networks biopic.
Houston's biopic is coming to the small screen next year directed by actress Angela Bassett. Houston, the 48-year-old recording artist and actress, died in 2012. Now Cissy is telling Entertainment Tonight why she does not agree with the film in which "America's Next Top Model" contestant and actress Yaya DaCosta Alafia was chosen to portray her daughter.
"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," Cissy said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. "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."
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Cissy asked for people to leave her daughter alone.
"We are exhausted by the continuing misinformation and comments offered by people who did not know her," the 80-year-old matriarch said. "Please please let her rest."
Whitney's 21-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, also has an issue with the future Lifetime film. However, she did express her interest in playing the role of her mother in any future biopic. However Bassett, Houston's co-star in the 1995 film "Waiting To Exhale," explained why she did not consider casting Brown in the film.
"It's an attempt to illuminate the complexities of human behavior and life. And this is a very fast-paced schedule; we have just 21 days to tell this story," Bassett previously explained to Entertainment Weekly. "It's more than just saying lines and turning the light on. You have to drive the story— there's a technical aspect."
Bassett previously spoke about her plans to direct the film, which is tentatively titled Whitney Houston.
"I have such regard for both Whitney's and Bobby's amazing talents and accomplishments; and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story," Bassett said in a statement released by Lifetime. "Their humanity and bond fascinates us all. I'm beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world."
