Audra McDonald is paying tribute to The Voice. The Emmy, Grammy, and Tony-winning actress and singer is set to narrate and executive produce “Whitney in Focus,” a doc about Whitney Houston. Deadline broke the news.
Based on “Young Whitney,” an upcoming book about the “I Will Always Love You” singer by photographer Bette Marshall, the doc will focus on Houston’s life before she became famous worldwide. Marshall met “the future sensation when Houston was an unknown 18-year-old, before she signed her record deal with Clive Davis and Arista Records,” per the source.
A press release describes the “Whitney in Focus” as a “cinematic photo story of a photographer and her young muse.” Marshall followed Houston to her early auditions and recording sessions.
“Whitney Houston is an artist I worshipped from the moment I first heard her sing. Her voice was simply miraculous and her artistry was perfection,” McDonald said. “We all witnessed her superstardom, and I’m honored to help tell this part of Whitney’s story, before it all began.”
“Young Whitney” will hit bookshelves in February 2022, commemorating the 10-year anniversary of Houston’s death on February 11, 2012. “Whitney in Focus” is tentatively scheduled for release in early 2022.
A number of docs about Houston have been released since her death, including “Whitney: Can I Be Me” and “Whitney.”
McDonald’s best known work on-screen includes “The Good Fight,” “Ricki and the Flash,” and “Private Practice.” She’s returning to Broadway with “Ohio State Murders,” a new play by Adrienne Kennedy.
