On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston died of unknown causes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (Wiki)
According to a witness in the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the actress and singer was at the hotel for a party the night of the 11th and would be part of the Grammy's the following night.
According to wiki, as an actress, Houston starred, in 1995, alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon in her second film Waiting to Exhale, a motion picture about four African-American women struggling with relationships.
In the film Houston plays the lead character Savannah Jackson, a TV producer in love with a married man.
She chose the role because she saw the film, as she said:
"...a breakthrough for the image of black women because it presents them both as professionals and as caring mothers."
After opening at number one and grossing $67 million in the US at the box office and $81 million worldwide, it proved that a movie primarily targeting a black audience can cross over to success, while paving the way for other all-black movies such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and the Tyler Perry movies that have become popular in the 2000s.
The film is also notable for its portrayal of black women as strong middle class citizens as opposed to stereotypes.
The reviews were mainly positive for the ensemble cast.
The New York Times said:
"Ms. Houston has shed the defensive hauteur that made her portrayal of a pop star in 'The Bodyguard' seem so distant."
Houston was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture," but lost to her co-star Bassett.
The film's accompanying soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album, was produced by Houston and Babyface. Though Babyface originally wanted Houston to record the entire album, she declined.
Instead, she "wanted it to be an album of women with vocal distinction", and thus gathered several African-American female artists for the soundtrack, to go along with the film's strong women message.
The soundtrack received strong reviews by Entertainment Weekly:
"The album goes down easy, just as you'd expect from a package framed by Whitney Houston tracks.... the soundtrack waits to exhale, hovering in sensuous suspense"
EW has since ranked it as one of the 100 Best Movie Soundtracks.
Newsday called it:
"The most significant R&B record of the decade."
Later that year, Houston's children's charity organization was awarded a VH1 Honor for all the charitable work.
"From the beginning, the camera and I were great friends. It loves me, and I love it." - Whitney Houston
Whitney, your fans already miss you!
Wiki film credits (Houson is also credited for numerous TV commercials and shows.):
1992The BodyguardRachel Marron
(Main role)Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance[271]
Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance[272]
Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo with co-star Kevin Costner[273]
Nominated – 1992 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress[274]1995Waiting to ExhaleSavannah Jackson
(Main role)Nominated – 1996 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture[275]1996The Preacher's WifeJulia Biggs
(Main role)Won – 1997 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture[276]
Nominated – 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Actress(Comedy/Romance)[277]
Nominated – 1997 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress[278]2012SparkleEmma
(Main role)
Comments