Made with the full authorization of her family, Whitney‘s Cannes Film Festival premiere was met with shock over the many allegations made about the singer’s childhood and personal life. Six years ago, Houston accidentally drowned in a hotel bathtub, her death attributed to the effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. Her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, died in a similar manner three years later in 2015.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald, Whitney promises an “unprecedented” and “honest” look at Houston’s life through the lens the family members and friends closest to her. Here are the biggest revelations from Whitney, as revealed by film critics and journalists who say they screened the intimate documentary.
Whitney Did in-Fact Have a Romantic Relationship With Robyn Crawford: The documentary explores Houston and Crawford’s rumored bond, which for years was the subject of tabloid speculation. Bobby Brown has previously confirmed their relationship and described his wife as bisexual. Others in the film considered Houston’s sexuality “fluid.” In the trailer, one person refers to Crawford as Houston’s “safety net” and says Brown was “jealous” of the career she’d built. Crawford worked as Houston’s creative director for some time, until a “power struggle”with Brown ensued and she cut ties with the couple forever.
Bobby Brown Feels “Guilty” for Houston’s Fall From Grace: In an interview with Deadline, Director Kevin Macdonald says Brown isn’t “ready to be honest” because of the “guilt” and “self-protectiveness” he harbours about the situation. From his perspective, “he felt, to me, just unwilling—or unable–to really be honest about himself, let alone to be honest about Whitney.
Patricia Houston, the executor of Houston’s estate, said in a previous statement to Rolling Stone, “To tell Whitney’s story, you have to know her story. We could not be more excited that Whitney’s fans will have this authoritative and definitive documentary chronicling the full arc or her career and the scope of Whitney’s entire life. This is an amazing retrospective that celebrates Whitney with never-before-seen footage and Kevin approaches her life with no blinders on. He captures all of Whitney’s magic, and he does not ignore the hard times. This is a film that will truly thrill all who knew and loved her as a musician, actress, model and so much more.”
Whitney hits theaters July 6.
Source: E! News
