BAFTA-winning British actress Naomi Ackie (Netflix's 'End of the F*cking World,' 'Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker') plays the title character in Columbia Pictures' 'Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody,' which opens in Philippine cinemas starting Sunday, January 8.

'I don't even know how to describe it — Whitney has just always been there, always so present in my life,' Ackie says in an interview. 'Every wedding, every funeral, every christening, birthday, karaoke, when I'm on my own, when I'm with friends. I can't even remember the first time I listened to her music – that's not even part of the conversation. She's just always present.'