Harinina: Whitney Houston, Dead At 48: A Big Screen Tribute

Iconic diva appeared in celebrated box-office gems including 'The Bodyguard' and 'Waiting to Exhale.'
By Eric Ditzian

Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in "The Bodyguard"
Photo: Warner Bros.

The death of Whitney Houston, who died on Saturday (February 11) at the age of 48, leaves a gaping hole not only in the world of music, but in movies, too.

She may have been best known for belting out R&B power ballads, but Whitney Houston also made an impact in Hollywood — a star in hit movies and a musical presence in countless other films. As we mourn her untimely death and honor her career, let's take a look back at some of Houston's cinematic achievements.

"The Bodyguard"
By far Houston's most celebrated film, this 1992 romantic drama, in which she starred opposite Kevin Costner, became not only a box-office success (more than $400 million at the worldwide box office), but spawned one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. The disc won a Grammy for Album of the Year and its first single, "I Will Always Love You," became one of the best-selling singles ever.

"Waiting to Exhale"
Three years after the success of "The Bodyguard," Houston teamed with Angela Basset and Loretta Devine for a film about four friends and their various relationship dramas. Babyface produced the score and Houston performed two songs on the soundtrack, which went platinum seven times. Her "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

MTV Movie Awards
Houston appeared three times at the MTV Movie Awards, once in 1993 following "The Bodyguard," again in 1996 after "Waiting to Exhale," and finally in 1999. In '93, she was nominated for three awards, including Breakthrough Performance, but came away empty-handed. In '96, she performed "Why Does It Hurt So Bad," a single off the "Exhale" soundtrack.

"The Princess Diaries"
The singer never appeared in this Disney teen drama, but she produced the film, which is notable for having been Anne Hathaway's breakout role. The movie grossed almost $170 million and spawned a sequel. "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," which Houston also produced, grossed more than $130 million.

"Sparkle"
A remake of the 1976 musical, "Sparkle," loosely based on Motown's the Supremes, was slated to be revived with Houston as executive-producer and star. "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks took on the role of Sparkle, with Houston playing her mother (her first movie role since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife," in which she costarred along with Denzel Washington). "Sparkle" was shot in the fall of 2011 and has been slated for an August 17 release.

When MTV News reached out to Sony/ Screen Gems after Houston's death, we received this statement: "Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened and the world has lost an incomparable talent. Right now our thoughts are with her daughter, her family and her friends."

Join us for a tribute to Whitney Houston with non-stop music videos on MTV Hits and MTV Jams, all day Sunday.

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