‘Whitney’ Movie: Sex Scenes, Drugs, Good Wigs, And Mary J. Blige?
The highly-anticipated biopic, Whitney premiered on Lifetime Saturday night.
The two-hour broadcast was filled with high and low moments which focused on the turbulent relationship between singer Whitney Houston and her husband Bobby Brown.
There were thousands of tweets posted throughout the duration of the two-hour broadcast premiere as well as the interview with Bobby Brown which followed the premiere.
However, there were several highlights from Whitney that seemed to generate the most buzz.
Sex Scenes
Viewers that did not know Whitney would focus more on the relationship between the Grammy Award-winning singer and her husband were given a major wake-up call when two extended sex scenes were shown.
That was the moment when Twitter exploded with initial reactions from fans and celebrities alike. Some enjoyed the scenes; others did not feel the same way.
3 sex scenes in 45 minutes Bruh? #Whitney pic.twitter.com/oV1SfZ4Kae
— Black Messiah (@XAVIERLEEDS) January 18, 2015
Yes because when I imagined Bobby & #Whitney having sex reggae came to my mind #WhitneyMovie — LilEsBella (@LilEsBella) January 18, 2015
This sex scene is a lot for television lol….#Whitney #WhitneyMovie
— IG: IAmCamero (@IAmCamero) January 18, 2015
As a first-time director, it seemed like Angela Bassett did not want to pull any punches when it came to showing just how intimate Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston were throughout their relationship. In one club scene, Bobby and Whitney (played by Arlen Escarpeta and Yaya DaCosta) were dancing provocatively and Bobby even licked her neck.
However, Bassett also did not pull back when it came to showing the unfaithful side of their marriage as well.
Drug Use
Another area in which Angela Bassett did not pull any punches in the Whitney movie was when it came to Whitney’s excessive drug use. Whitney was depicted as a chronic user of cocaine — snorting lines when she was sad, happy or even getting ready to head out on stage for a performance. Just like with the sex scenes, the drug use depicted in Whitney was also discussed on Twitter by thousands of people.
Wow… She snorted cocaine and then led the prayer circle #Whitney @lifetimetv — Sherri Shepherd (@SherriEShepherd) January 18, 2015
“Writer’s block! Cocaine will cure that!” Never get your career advice from a shouty man in a velour track suit. #Whitney
— Vulture (@vulture) January 18, 2015
If they hadn’t been addicted to cocaine, they’d probably still be married and she’d still be here..He LOVED her 4 sure #Whitney — Chanel Fisher (@ChanelBellePR) January 18, 2015
There was even one scene when Whitney inhaled Bobby Brown’s exhale while smoking shortly after she woke up.
Good Wigs And Wardrobe
A major highlight of Whitney Houston’s career and overall celebrity status was her wardrobe and wigs. Throughout her career, she was known for creating fashion trends with her clothing and wig choices. That was definitely reflected in the high-quality wig choices and wardrobe selections that were praised throughout the Whitney movie.
During one montage of on-stage performances of the hit song “I’m Every Woman,” Yaya DaCosta transitioned seamlessly from wig to wig. There were quite a few camera shots where she looked exactly like Whitney Houston simply because of her mannerisms, facial movements and wigs.
@theyayadacosta be like…Wig on Fleek #Whitney pic.twitter.com/4N5cnlYLU5
— SIS (@Toosmartfortv) January 18, 2015
I feel like I’ll really be able to channel #Whitney if I just had one of those wigs. — Tamara A. Marbury (@BlitzAndGlam) January 18, 2015
This “I’m Every Woman” montage has new meaning because of all of the wigs! #Whitney
— Corynne Corbett (@corynnecorbett) January 18, 2015
I don’t remember seeing these wigs in the cast list for #Whitney on imdb but these 1Bs are characters all on their own #WhitneyMovie — DR.BROWN-DEAN (@KBDPHD) January 18, 2015
Mary J. Blige
Last but not least, the “appearance” of Mary J. Blige in the movie was another hot topic which was covered thoroughly on Twitter. As soon as actress Suzanne Douglas made her first on-screen appearance as Whitney Houston’s mother, Cissy, another explosion was activated on Twitter. With her wig and make-up, at first glance, Suzanne Douglas looked just like Mary J. Blige — a resemblance that apparently did not go unnoticed.
Did I just see MARY J BLIGE IN THE WHITNEY MOVIE #Whitney @WendyWilliams… I’m just saying pic.twitter.com/9pyQbgoVWI
— JAVASCRIPT (@JavaScriptt) January 18, 2015
YAlL @maryjblige played the hell outa #Whitney‘s Momma!……..Wait…u mean dat wasn’t…..oh well……..nermind! pic.twitter.com/TLohs5NB0N — Ayana Mack (@ayanamack) January 18, 2015
They really got Mary J Blige playing a 60 something year old woman? #Whitney
— The Man Crush Blog (@man_crush) January 18, 2015
Chances are that Whitney generated massive ratings for Lifetime. Just like with the infamous Aaliyah biopic, millions of people more than likely saw the Whitney movie — whether they would like to admit it or not.
[Image Credit: ABC Local]