Yep, that’s right. A biopic exploring Whitney Houston’s life is hitting our screens by Christmas 2022 and Robyn Crawford, who Whitney shared a romantic relationship with, will make it to the screen! Eureka! But how will their relationship be depicted? Will it be straight-washed? And why are so many people on the biopic’s set standing down?
The biopic, titled I Wanna Dance With Somebody after the singer’s 1987 hit, will be delivered this year, the tenth anniversary since Whitney’s death. It was the 11th of February, 2012, I remember it vividly: we were singing I Will Always Love You–which just so happened to be the #1 hit the day I was born–as the last song on pub dancefloors for weeks.
We can’t get too excited. It’s true. Despite Robyn Crawford declaring the pair’s romantic and sexual relationship in her book, A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston, many are hellbent on cannoning Whitney as straight.
Some might believe Robyn has dollar signs in her eyes, to which she says in the book, “Believe me, I’ve done my best to stay out of the spotlight [but] I believe it is my duty to honour my friend and to clarify the many inaccuracies about myself and about who Whitney was.”
Robyn and Whitney were friends long before Whitney’s stardom. Robyn was Whitney’s best friend, roommate, maid of honor and assistant. Their closeness is evident. “It wasn’t all about our sleeping together,” she stresses in the book. “We could trust each other with our secrets, our feelings, and who we were. We were friends, we were lovers. We were everything to each other. We weren’t falling in love. We just were. We had each other. We were one: that’s how it felt.”
Whitney handed Robyn a bible when she signed her record deal, ending the relationship because she feared the public would use their relationship against them. Robyn still remained a devoted friend, attempting to anchor Whitney as her private life spiraled out of control. Haven’t we all been a Robyn at one stage? Don’t mind me, just crying into my pillow.
Robyn is now in a relationship with Lisa Hintelmann and they have children together, pictured below on Robyn’s Instagram.
However, on Whitney’s ten-year death anniversary this year, Robyn posted a picture of Whitney, below, along with the caption, “There are things that death cannot touch.” I’m not crying, you are.
Will the biopic focus on the truth or heterosexual fantasy, when it comes to depicting Whitney’s sexual orientation and relationship with Robyn Crawford? Well, the biopic is signed off by Whitney Houston’s estate, producer Clive Davis, and Primary Wave Music. Multiple parties with varying angles and agendas have a lot of power in how Whitney’s story is delivered.
There’s been tension. We know that because not only did the biopic’s original director, Stella Meghie, stand down, citing “creative differences,” but so did the actress set to play Robyn Crawford, Moses Ingram. Stella has been replaced by Kasi Lemmons and Moses has been replaced by Nafessa Williams.
Why, exactly? What were the creative differences, for Stella? Why did Moses leave? Well it’s all a bit hush-hush. You can’t help but wonder if both quitting events are connected. Did it have something to do with depicting the relationship between Robyn and Whitney?
If Whitney lived longer, would she have pulled a Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) and revealed her relationship with Robyn today, when it would be more safe, when their relationship might have been accepted? Will the biopic’s release be a celebratory time for us, or a time for us to gather around Robyn and join in the outrage?
