Here’s your first look (above) at Yaya DaCosta Alafia as Whitney Houston in Angela Bassett’s upcoming directorial debut for the Lifetime network, courtesy of EW.
Obviously, it’s a mimic of the album cover of the late singer’s hit 1987 studio album (her 2nd) "Whitney" (see the original on the left).
DaCosta is joined in front of the camera by Arlen Escarpeta (as Bobby Brown) and Yolonda Ross (as Whitney Houston’s longtime good friend and assistant, who was also rumored to be her lesbian lover – Robyn Crawford).
The telepic will chronicle the headline-making partnership between the iconic singer, actress, producer and model, and singer, songwriter Bobby Brown – from the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity, to their courtship and tumultuous marriage.
Bassett is directing the film, which is tentatively titled "Whitney Houston," from a script penned by Shem Bitterman ("Betty & Coretta" – the Lifetime Original Movie that Bassett starred in last year).
Larry Sanitsky (who produced "Betty & Coretta") will do the same for "Whitney Houston."