Gird your loins! Per Deadline, master mixologist Stanley Tucci will be playing Clive Davis in the upcoming Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Davis, known for signing hit artists (see: Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and more), spotted Houston’s potential early on and collaborated with her throughout her journey to becoming the most awarded female artist of all time. The veteran music producer previously told Rolling Stone that he had personally requested Tucci take on the role of his character in the film. (Looks like that went well.)
The musical biopic from Sony and TriStar Pictures will feature British actress Naomi Ackie (Small Axe, The End of the F***ing World) starring as Houston. Ashton Sanders (Moonlight) will also appear as Bobby Brown, the late icon’s ex-husband. Bohemian Rhapsody writer Anthony McCarten will pen the screenplay, while Kasi Lemmons is set to direct. The film’s co-producers include Davis, as well as Houston’s sister-in-law and former manager, Pat Houston, who is involved on behalf of the Houston Estate. I Wanna Dance With Somebody is set to release in theaters on December 23, 2022.