“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” Directed by Kasi Lemmons, is a musical biopic that chronicles the personal life and showbiz career of legendary musician and actress Whitney Houston. The narrative follows the title character as her singing talent catches the ears of music manager Clive Davis, who sees potential in her powerful voice. Whitney’s music career soon skyrockets as she goes from obscurity to becoming one of the biggest singers of her generation.
The biopic is brought to life and authentic with stellar on-screen performances from a talented cast. Alongside Naomi Ackie, who plays Whitney Houston, there are Stanley Tucci, Tamara Tunie, Ashton Sanders, and Nafessa Williams, all of whom portray the roles of key characters in the film to the best of their ability. While the dramatization of some of the most iconic live performances will captivate audiences, it will also make you wonder if they were filmed on location or not.
Where Was Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody Movie Filmed?
“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” was filmed in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, and New York, namely Boston, Arlington, Quincy, Worcester, Foxborough, Newark, Tampa, and New York.
According to reports, principal photography on the Whitney Houston biopic will begin in August 2021 and wrap up in December of that year.
Massachusetts
Many key sequences for “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” were filmed in Boston, the state capital and most populous city in Massachusetts. Early scenes involving Houston’s church were filmed at Peoples Baptist Church at 830 Tremont Street, Roxbury. While Houston’s Soul Train Music Awards scenes were filmed at the Citizens Bank Opera House at 539 Washington Street, her iconic 1994 American Music Awards performance scenes were filmed at the Boch Center – Wang Theater at 270 Tremont Street.
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The strip of Broadway Bridge near South Boston served as the backdrop for the scene of the altercation between Houston and her then-husband Bobby Brown on the side of the freeway. According to an interview between location manager Charlie Harrington and The Boston Globe in December 2022.
It was the hardest scene to shoot because the production unit had to close off the area or reroute everything, making it the coldest night of his life. Additionally, several parts of the biopic were shot in and around the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater at 219 Tremont Street, Roslindale, and apparently Congress Street.
The production team also headed a bit northwest of Boston to Arlington, a town in Massachusetts’ Middlesex County, to film some more parts of ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’ They reportedly used the Saint Camillus Parish parking lot at 1185 Concord Turnpike to film a few scenes for the movie.
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In October 2021, the cast and crew were spotted around 18 Randolph Street filming some key sequences. They set up camp in one of the properties on the street while the windows and doors were covered with black curtains to prevent pedestrians and neighbors from peeking into scenes that may have been filmed inside.
The production team of “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” also traveled to other locations around the state for filming purposes. For example, to recreate the 1991 Super Bowl performance in Houston, where the iconic singer sings the national anthem, they used Gillette Stadium space at 1 Patriot Place in Foxborough. They even filmed several portions at Worcester Regional Airport at 375 Airport Drive in Worcester, especially around the terminal and runway next to the Rectrix Aerodrome Center.
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According to reports, the cast and crew also used the Marina Studios facility at 260 Victory Road in Quincy to produce the film. The film studio spans more than 26,000 square feet, with a production office of an additional 15,000 square feet of space and a massive three-acre facility, making it a suitable filming location for a variety of productions.
New Jersey
Some important scenes for “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” were also recorded in Newark, New Jersey’s most populous city. Also known as the Brick City, Newark is home to a number of local cultural venues such as the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the New Jersey Historical Society, the Prudential Center, and the Newark Symphony Hall, to name a few.
Florida
Tampa, a city on Florida’s Gulf Coast, also served as a key location for the filming of Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Adjacent to Old Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay, Tampa’s economy is highly dependent on several sectors, including finance, healthcare, technology, maritime, tourism, construction, and insurance.
New York
Several key scenes for “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” were filmed in New York, the country’s most populous city. In particular, exterior sequences of scenes set in Madison Square Garden were seemingly shot around the actual arena, located at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza.
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