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Whitney Houston's Cinematic Journey: Exploring Her Movie Roles Beyond Music

Commemorating Whitney Houston's 60th birthday and her legacy as a music icon and graceful entertainer, spotlighting her filmography that showcases her versatile talent in both singing and acting roles.

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Scene from The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston
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Whitney Houston, whose 60th birthday is being commemorated by fans on August 9, was one of the US music's most recognizable artists. Her unmatched persona, versatility, and charisma made her success stories truly stellar. Her chartbuster tracks are still streamed to this day, testifying to the legacy Whitney's relatively brief career left on listeners.

Apart from her illustrious musical career, Whitney also forayed into movies, starring in five productions. The movies she starred in also proved her worth and capability as a graceful entertainer.


In chronological order, the movies Whitney Houston starred in are:


The Bodyguard (1992):

Starring alongside Kevin Costner, Whitney’s debut film is one of her popular ones as well. In the film, she portrays a singer who hires a former Secret Service agent to protect her from a stalker. The movie was a box office success, yet drew brickbats for the lack of chemistry between the lead couple. The soundtrack, which included Whitney’s hit “I Will Always Love You”, also popularized the movie.

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Waiting to Exhale (1995):

Directed by Forest Whitaker, the film follows the lives of four African-American women as they navigate various challenges in their relationships and careers, and also features a commendable stint by Whitney.


The Preacher's Wife (1996):

Whitney stars as Julia alongside Denzel Washington, who plays an angel who guides her. It is a heartwarming holiday movie with some notable music by Houston.


Cinderella (TV Movie, 1997):

Houston plays the Fairy Godmother in this rendition of the classic fairy tale, produced by Disney.


Sparkle (2012):

In her final film role, Whitney plays Emma, the strict, dominating mother of three girls who are a singing group seeking a record deal in the 1960s.

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In the very few films in her filmography, Whitney was able to showcase her versatility, both as a singer and as an actor. She brought her gracefulness to the silver screen, which is the reason why many of these films are well known after all these years.

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