ACKIE : Yeah . NEWTON : First of all , you ’ re surrendering to the editor , the director , and the writer . And then we have to stop and start , stop and start , stop and start . So in the gaps between , we have to protect our character . ACKIE : Hold onto them . NEWTON : I think that ’ s why we get more attached . ACKIE : And you have to hold the space for them . Right now , I ’ m trying to figure out how I want to play , oh my goodness , Whitney Houston . NEWTON : Look , this isn ’ t the definitive story of Whitney Houston , because the definitive story is the one that she lived and even that isn ’ t real . One of the reasons why it ’ s so important , this story , this movie , is because so much of who she was , was hidden . Was manipulated . Was erased . Even the truth of who she was , was a mystery to herself . ACKIE : Yeah . NEWTON : This piece is a link in the chain to understanding her heart . ACKIE : Her truth .
40 andiwe Newton
Flashmag ! Issue 121 September 2021
NEWTON : Her strife . What would it have been like for her to be free ? And you ’ re going to give us that perspective , just through the fact that you ’ re playing her from the other side of her existence . There ’ s a common humanity that wants to see the truth of what happened to that woman . And it ’ s not just about Whitney Houston , it ’ s about every other Black woman in America . ACKIE : Yeah . NEWTON : It ’ s so important that we understand her pain , because when we look at the number of souls that have been lost in the entertainment industry , that died young — ACKIE : Too young . NEWTON : On the one hand she had it all . And then on the other hand , it doesn ’ t fit . ACKIE : It doesn ’ t help her . NEWTON : And that ’ s the issue . It ’ s like we ’ re talking about you . There are misgivings and there are fears . And here ’ s the other thing : We ’ re not surrounded by people whose concern it is to help us . ACKIE : No . NEWTON : When it comes to your career , you are the only one who can be the gatekeeper of your mental health . No one ’ s going to look out for you . We need people like our publicists and managers , because they navigate a pretty treacherous world , but even they can ’ t do it . We have to be our own strong stage mama .
ACKIE : This last year has been a wake-up call . When the Star Wars stu happened , it was the first time I had that type of attention . That one took me by surprise , and I had to really work at putting my ego aside , and to not believe the hype . But I ’ m so glad this happened now , and not five years ago . I feel ready . NEWTON : What you ’ re describing is drinking the Kool-Aid . ACKIE : That ’ s it ! NEWTON : It ’ s a spell . I say this with all respect , but everybody who ’ s part of the Star Wars franchise , don ’ t think it ’ s about you . ACKIE : No .
NEWTON : But the spell is that you think it ’ s about you . ACKIE : Seriously . Now I look at this as a job , and for so long it was my identity . I clung to being an actress