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Whitney Houston's Mother Speaks Out Against Lifetime Biopic

Cissy Houston blasts network for going forward with film, "in spite of family's objections."

Cissy Houston doesn't support Lifetime's upcoming Whitney Houston biopic, and she sent out a public plea to get the network and fans to understand exactly how she feels about the small-screen adaptation of her daughter's life.

"Lifetime has chosen to go ahead with the movie about Whitney in spite of my family's objections," she said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. "In the two years since Whitney's death, many people have stepped forward to speak about their close relationship with her. I find it difficult to believe people who knew and supposedly loved her would participate in a movie about her done by folks who didn't know her. We are exhausted by the continuing misinformation and comments offered by people who did not know her. Please, please let her rest."

The film marks Angela Bassett's directorial debut, and chronicles Whitney's turbulent relationship with ex-husband Bobby Brown. Former America's Next Top Model star Yaya DaCosta plays the late singer, and Arlen Escarpata stars as Brown. Singer Debrah Cox covered Whitney's music for the film. 

Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristin Brown, blasted Bassett on Twitter for not allowing her to play lead in the film. The tweets aimed at Bassett were later deleted from Bobbi Kristina's account and replaced with an apology

Speaking with ET from the set, Bassett empathized with BK. "I respect anyone's feelings and truths," she said. "I can understand it. She adored her mother, and in this process I lost my mother, so I get it, and I love Bobbi Kristina." 

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(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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