Yaya DaCosta Cast As Whitney Houston In Angela Bassett's Lifetime Movie

Yaya DaCosta will play legendary singer Whitney Houston in Lifetime's biopic, due out in 2015, TVLine reported.

DaCosta made her small-screen debut on "America's Next Top Model" Cycle 3, but has since appeared in "All My Children," Ugly Betty," House" and "Lee Daniels' The Butler." In the Lifetime movie, she'll play Houston as she deals with her volatile relationship with Bobby Brown and her early success in the music industry.

Angela Bassett will make her directorial debut with the film, which is tentatively titled "Whitney Houston." Shem Bitterman wrote the script and Larry Sanitsky will produce. (Both worked on "Betty & Coretta," the Lifetime movie in which Bassett starred last year.) At the time the film was announced Bassett, who starred in 1995's "Waiting To Exhale" with Houston, said in a statement, "I have such regard for both Whitney's and Bobby's amazing talents and accomplishments; and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story. Their humanity and bond fascinates us all. I'm beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world."

Lifetime doing Whitney Houston movie with Angela Bassett directing

Lifetime is doing a Whitney Houston movie. Because of course they are. When Lifetime’s They’re not already doing a Whitney Houston movie?Adding extra intrigue: Oscar nominee Angela Bassett will direct the film. Bassett and Houston co-starred in 1995′s Waiting to Exhale together. We’re told Bassett will not star, but she may have another role in the film.

press release hit our inbox, the first question that sprang to mind was:

Here’s Lifetime’s plan for its take on the pop singer, who died two years ago at the age of 48: “Whitney Houston chronicles the headline-making relationship between the iconic singer, actress, producer and model, and singer, songwriter Bobby Brown — from the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity, to their courtship and tumultuous marriage.  Throughout it all, difficulties followed the superstar couple while they dealt with the overwhelming rewards and consequences of the fame and fortune created by Whitney’s meteoric rise that would soon overshadow them both.”

Added Bassett: “I have such regard for both Whitney’s and Bobby’s amazing talents and accomplishments; and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story. Their humanity and bond fascinates us all.  I’m beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world.” Whitney Houston (working title) is scheduled to premiere in 2015.