The new biopic “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” delves into a part of her life more aggressively than any previous movie or documentary: her long relationship with Robyn Crawford.
In her memoir, Crawford claims that she and Houston were lovers for a time and best friends for years afterwards, with Crawford handling many of Houston’s day-to-day affairs. It’s an aspect of Houston’s life that was often hidden due to the times she lived in and as portrayed in the movie, deeply poignant.
Credit Atlanta-based actress Nafessa Williams for helping make Crawford’s chemistry with Naomi Ackie’s Houston feel authentic in the movie, which comes out in theaters Dec. 23.
“For the most part, people will be surprised by this aspect of Whitney,” said Williams, who has lived in Atlanta for five years, going back to her time on the CW’s “Black Lightning. ”I’m excited about people learning more about Robyn.”
Crawford did not cooperate in the film and Williams herself has never met her. But Williams gleaned a lot of information from Crawford’s 2019 memoir “A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston.”
“The book was a blessing,” she said.
Williams’ take on Crawford is sympathetic. Crawford comes across as a strong ballast for Houston through the singer’s rise, career peaks and darkest moments.
“Even though she couldn’t be with Whitney in the capacity she wanted to be publicly, she still stuck by her,” Williams said. “She was still a good friend to her and a protector. She became her creative assistant. I think they were soulmates. They had this unspoken language. They had so much love and adoration for each other.”
There is a dramatic scene in the film where Crawford finds out Houston had slept with Jermaine Jackson. Crawford angrily throws and breaks items around the apartment until finally Houston settles her down and keeps her from leaving. Crawford holds Houston’s hand, resignation and sadness written all over her face.
“It broke my heart filming it,” she said. “I watched it for the first time and actually cried watching that scene because we can all relate to heartbreak.”
Crawford, she noted, had to have a certain level of fortitude to stick by Houston through all her travails including her rocky marriage with Bobby Brown and her drug issues. “I tried my best to imagine what that felt like to her,” Williams said. “I don’t know personally if I could have been able to do it.”
Williams also liked that Crawford, while supporting Houston’s triumphs, wouldn’t “blow smoke up Whitney just because she’s a celebrity. She kept it real with her.”
And while Ackie didn’t really resemble Houston, Williams felt she captured Houston’s essence and spirit. “It speaks to Naomi’s professionalism,” Williams said. “I saw her working really, really hard. I watched her eat well and take care of her body and make sure she had the stamina to carry this out.”
Williams also loved watching Ackie recreate the classic videos like “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”: “The outfits were so spot on, you’d be, like freaked out!”
IF YOU GO
“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” in metro Atlanta theaters starting Dec. 23
