'She was almost not human to me, not even a superhero, but a deity,' Naomi Ackie said of the pedestal on which she placed Whitney Houston, the woman she would later portray - and become BAFTA nominated for - in a recent biopic of the late singer.
'I really looked up to her because she was the fairy godmother in Cinderella, and because of all of her powerful ballads. I also looked up to her because she looked as close to me as was possible, especially in the 1990s. I was born in 1991 – she was one of those women who helped me and other people get into this industry.'
Ackie discussed her adoration for Houston at a special Q&A and screening of I Wanna Dance With Somebody hosted by ELLE UK and Selfridges on Monday. Joining ELLE's associate editor Lena De Casparis on stage at The Cinema at Selfridges, Ackie opened up about how she transformed into the global superstar.
Read Next
'Through my research and really looking past the music, she was a woman who had a high standard for performance and when you're very, very talented, you have a high expectation of the people who work for you and with you. As a person, she was extremely gregarious, generous and joyful. And so for me, in the making of that was what I wanted to highlight the most. We saw the performances, and the spectacle, but the Whitney in the real world was just like us, and I think that is a really gorgeous thing. I think it's probably more common than we we actually think.'
The event was held in the week leading up to the 2023 BAFTAs, which will take place on Sunday, February 19 in London and will see Ackie joined by her fellow EE Rising Star nominees: Daryl McCormack (Good Luck To You, Leo Grande) Aimee Lou Wood (Living), Sheila Atim (The Woman King) and Emma Mackey (Emma). Without revealing too much, Ackie assured those in the audience that she already has a great dress ready for the A-List ceremony.
Wearing a Paco Rabanne orange and yellow dress, ankle boots and jewellery by Mejuri, Ackie was joined by ELLE's editor-in-chief Kenya Hunt at the screening, as well as guests including contributing editor Aja Barber, journalist Liv Little and broadcaster and DJ Zezi Ifore.
During the event, guests sipped on Moët & Chandon champagne, enjoyed hot dogs and chips from Selfridges, and each took home a goodie bag featuring a selection of perfumes by Xerjoff and the March issue of ELLE UK.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody chronicles Houston's career, starting with how she learned how to sing from her mother (a performer in her own right, Cissy Houston) and practicing in church to forging a record deal with Clive Davis (played in the film by Stanley Tucci) who himself served as an executive producer on the movie and stayed close as a partner and confidante to the singer throughout Houston's career and life.
The late singer's personal life is also explored in the film, from her relationships including a complicated but heartfelt connection with her best friend Robyn Crawford, her high-profile and tabloid-chronicled marriage to the singer Bobby Brown, who was the father to her only daughter Bobbi Kristina, as well as her complicated family issues, business struggles and drug addiction culminating with her devastating untimely death at the Beverly Hills Hotel on the eve of the Grammy awards in February, 2012.
But what is also celebrated in the film, most of all, is Houston's catalogue of music. We're reminded throughout the film, of the many milestones and records Houston - dubbed - 'The Voice' - achieved, as well as some of her most iconic performances like her unforgettable 1994 American Music Awards medley of 'I Love You, Porgey,' 'And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going' and 'I Have Nothing', the music videos for 'I Will Always Love You', and 'It's Not Right, But It's Okay' plus her rendition of the US national anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl.
For Ackie, the song from Houston's catalogue that strikes a chord the most is 'Home', which she performed in 1983 on her television debut and Ackie recreates perfectly in the film.
'I was actually not aware of that song until I read the script, or at least aware of her performance of that song. She was 19 at the time. And my goodness... I still get shivers.
'I had such a rich amount of of performances to pick from [in my research]. Even at that age, she wass able to capture this magic in her voice.'
Ending the Q&A, Ackie looked ahead to her new projects, which include Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut the thriller Pussy Island, in which the London-raised star acts opposite Channing Tatum ('I am genuinely so excited about it [coming out]') and had a lot of fun filming in Mexico last summer. Ackie was also able to speak for one of the first times about another project, the recently announced Justin Kirzel's Morning which will see Ackie join Laura Dern and Benedict Cumberbatch in a sci-fi film chronicling a society which has invented a pill to forgo sleep. 'It's got an incredible cast, I'm quite surprised they asked me to join to be honest, Ackie laughed self-deprecatingly. 'I'm really looking forward to it.'
For now, Ackie is enjoying herself and celebrating the success of I Wanna Dance With Somebody and the BAFTA nomination that came with it. 'I'm getting better [at celebrating my wins], slowly... I'm a Leo so I'm very stubborn. But, I am getting there. I am appreciating right now that this is a huge accomplishment. And I am getting okay with the idea of rest. Rest and celebration is what I'm trying to focus on. And right now, rest is celebration.'
Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
