Whitney Houston is probably best known for her public persona: the passionate, bubbly, and crazy talented performing artist and actress. But as the new trailer for documentary “Whitney” stresses, Houston had her share of personal demons to contend with.
An interviewee reveals that Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown, resented her success. “Bobby was jealous,” the commentator says. “He wanted to be on the stage, he wanted to be in the forefront. And eventually she stepped down to lift him up.”
Houston endured pressure from her singer mother, Cissy Houston, as well. “She was a little tough on Whitney because she knew what Whitney had,” Houston’s brother admits. The “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” performer also struggled with addiction — something she kept hidden from her family — until her 2012 death.
Despite the hardships in her private life, Houston always brought her A-game, as well as a sense of pure joy, onstage. “I had fun and that’s all that matters,” she gushes in archival footage.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald (“One Day in September”), “Whitney” will premiere at Cannes tonight as part of the fest’s Midnight Screenings lineup. The doc hits theaters July 6.
