Stanley Tucci to play Clive Davis in Whitney Houston Biopic – Deadline
EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-nominated actor Stanley Tucci was cast as Grammy-winning producer Clive Davis in the biopic I want to dance with someone, the upcoming feature film about the late musical icon Whitney Houston.
Naomi Ackie will play Houston in the musical biopic, based on the epic life and music of Houston. Kasi Lemmons conducts, with Anthony McCarten writing the script. Davis was the lawyer turned music producer and executive who had an extraordinary eye for talent spotting. This ability to find a star before they burst onto the scene led him to the very talented Houston before anyone knew who she was and he guided her to become a star.
Alongside McCarten’s Muse of Fire Productions, the film is produced by Pat Houston on behalf of the Houston Estate; Davis; Larry Mestel on behalf of Primary Wave Music; Denis O’Sullivan (Bohemian Rhapsody) and Jeff Kalligheri for Compelling Pictures; Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures; and Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill for Black Label Media. Primary Wave Music is a partner of the Houston estate.
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Sony and TriStar Pictures will release the film in theaters on December 23, 2022.
Houston is the most awarded female musical artist of all time and one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, selling over 200 million records worldwide. She has won six Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards and two Emmys among many others. Houston made her acting debut with the romantic thriller The bodyguard, on which she recorded six songs for the film’s soundtrack, including “I Will Always Love You”. The song won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became the best-selling physical single by a woman in music history. The soundtrack album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and remains the best-selling soundtrack album in history.
Houston, who died in 2012 at the age of 48, was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and became the first black artist to receive three RIAA Diamond Awards.
Tucci can currently be seen in Max Borenstein’s Value facing Michael Keaton. Then it will be seen in The man of kings opposite Matthew Goode and Gemma Arterton, and Lionsgate’s Falling moon directed Roland Emmerich.
Tucci is replaced by CAA, Anonymous Content and Curtis Brown.