Naomi Ackie Says Losing Weight for Whitney Houston Biopic 'Put Me in a Bad Mental Space’

Mar. 15, 2025

Naomi Ackie looks back on how she lost 30 lbs. for her role as the late Whitney Houston in the 2022 biopicWhitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, tellingThe Hollywood Reporterthat it “put me in a bad mental space"The actress says she was counting calories and working out, because being a smaller size “does open doors"Ackie, who appears in the upcoming thrillerBlink Twice, said she’s “sad for herself because I should have enjoyed myself” after the movieNaomi Ackieis looking back on the dramatic way she transformed her body for the 2022 biopicWhitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody— and the lingering impact it’s had on her self-image.Ackie, 31, toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat she lost 30 lbs. to play late R&B/pop icon, whodied in 2012 at age 48fromaccidentally drowningin her hotel bathtub.“I was working hard, not smart, and it put me in a bad mental space,” Ackie said, sharing that after the weight loss, “I was the size I’d always wanted to be.”“I was tiny, and I wanted to stay that way. I thought that being an American size 4 was going to open doors for me. And it’s f—ed, but it does open doors,” the British actress said.Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in the 2022 biopic ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’.TRISTAR; Rtmatthews/Mediapunch/ShutterstockShe told the outlet that she continued going to the gym in an effort to maintain her now-smaller frame — and was dedicated to counting calories — but shared that a conversation with boyfriend changed her mind.“I asked him if he had any body hang-ups and he said no,” she explained. “I’m like, ‘You haven’t been doing calorie math like me?’ “Ackie admitted, “This is probably too much to share, but maybe it will be helpful for someone. I got to a point withWhitneywhere you could name any food and I could tell you what the calorie intake was.”“I look back now and I’m so sad for myself because I should have enjoyed myself,” she said. “I work hard so that I can pay my rent and my bills, and if you’re lucky, you have a little bit left over to travel — and eat whatever the f—k you want. So I should eat, bitch!”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The experience of filming the thrillerBlink Twice,however, was much different in terms of its impact on her body image, she told the outlet.Before filming, the female cast members and directorZoë Kravitzdiscussed their various concerns about their scenes, which largely required them to wear bikinis as they visit the private island of a billionaire (Channing Tatum), who may have sinister motives.Naomi Ackie promotes ‘Blink Twice’ in Los Angeles.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty“I was just like, ‘OK, ladies, we’re going to be running in bikinis, and I’ve got big ol’ t—ts, so how are these girls going to be kept safe and secure?’ " recalled Ackie. “And Zoë was just like, ‘I’ve got you, I will never put you in a position where you don’t feel comfortable, and I want you to feel hot and confident.’ ”Kravitz told the outlet, “If I can’t provide a safe space whilemaking this movie, then what am I even preaching about? I wanted this production to be a place to work out these exact feelings and emotions with the help of these women.““And as an actor, I understand the vulnerability of putting yourself on camera like that,” she continued, “so I can tell them what I would want to hear. Things like, ‘That angle doesn’t look so good, turn like this instead.’ ”

Naomi Ackieis looking back on the dramatic way she transformed her body for the 2022 biopicWhitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody— and the lingering impact it’s had on her self-image.

Ackie, 31, toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat she lost 30 lbs. to play late R&B/pop icon, whodied in 2012 at age 48fromaccidentally drowningin her hotel bathtub.

“I was working hard, not smart, and it put me in a bad mental space,” Ackie said, sharing that after the weight loss, “I was the size I’d always wanted to be.”

“I was tiny, and I wanted to stay that way. I thought that being an American size 4 was going to open doors for me. And it’s f—ed, but it does open doors,” the British actress said.

Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in the 2022 biopic ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’.TRISTAR; Rtmatthews/Mediapunch/Shutterstock

She told the outlet that she continued going to the gym in an effort to maintain her now-smaller frame — and was dedicated to counting calories — but shared that a conversation with boyfriend changed her mind.

“I asked him if he had any body hang-ups and he said no,” she explained. “I’m like, ‘You haven’t been doing calorie math like me?’ “

Ackie admitted, “This is probably too much to share, but maybe it will be helpful for someone. I got to a point withWhitneywhere you could name any food and I could tell you what the calorie intake was.”

“I look back now and I’m so sad for myself because I should have enjoyed myself,” she said. “I work hard so that I can pay my rent and my bills, and if you’re lucky, you have a little bit left over to travel — and eat whatever the f—k you want. So I should eat, bitch!”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The experience of filming the thrillerBlink Twice,however, was much different in terms of its impact on her body image, she told the outlet.

Before filming, the female cast members and directorZoë Kravitzdiscussed their various concerns about their scenes, which largely required them to wear bikinis as they visit the private island of a billionaire (Channing Tatum), who may have sinister motives.

Naomi Ackie promotes ‘Blink Twice’ in Los Angeles.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

“I was just like, ‘OK, ladies, we’re going to be running in bikinis, and I’ve got big ol’ t—ts, so how are these girls going to be kept safe and secure?’ " recalled Ackie. “And Zoë was just like, ‘I’ve got you, I will never put you in a position where you don’t feel comfortable, and I want you to feel hot and confident.’ ”

Kravitz told the outlet, “If I can’t provide a safe space whilemaking this movie, then what am I even preaching about? I wanted this production to be a place to work out these exact feelings and emotions with the help of these women.”

“And as an actor, I understand the vulnerability of putting yourself on camera like that,” she continued, “so I can tell them what I would want to hear. Things like, ‘That angle doesn’t look so good, turn like this instead.’ ”

source: people.com