The trailer for Whitney Houston’s Lifetime biopic has arrived. The network gave a first glimpse of the Angela Bassett-directed film on Friday, Dec. 5.
The fast-paced clip chronicles the late iconic star’s ups and downs, from her professional chart-topping success, to her messy and tumultuous marriage with Bobby Brown.
Whitney stars Yaya DaCosta and Arlen Escarpeta as Houston and Brown, respectively. Some of the highlights include a scene of her powerful ballad “I Will Always Love You,” the birth of Houston and Brown’s daughter Bobbi Kristina, and Houston’s drug abuse. In one pivotal frame, Houston’s record producer Clive Davis (Mark Rolston) tells her she needs to “protect her voice.”
The TV movie will also give a look into Houston’s relationship with her mother, Cissy Houston. Back in July, Cissy objected to the biopic altogether.
“Lifetime has chosen to go ahead with the movie about Whitney in spite of my family’s objections,” she told Entertainment Tonight at the time. “No one connected with this movie knew Whitney or anything about her relationship with Bobby [Brown],” she continued. “Please, please let her rest.”
Whitney will premiere on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime, and will feature vocals by Deborah Cox.
Watch the trailer above now.