It’s loopy how some issues simply come full circle, and within the case of actor Ricco Ross, one expertise with the legendary Whitney Houston will dwell eternally in his reminiscence. The 12 months was 1985, and Houston wasn’t the icon we bear in mind her as in the present day; Ross wasn’t the heartthrob he’s generally known as both. However that’s when their two worlds collided, giving followers all over the place an iconic musical second.
After being kind casted as a gangster in Hollywood, Ross determined to maneuver to London to diversify his appearing portfolio. That’s when he landed a gig in Houston’s music video for “Saving All My Love For You.” Ross recalled the complete story on TikTok saying, “I put myself up for this position taking part in the lead position reverse Whitney… and you’ve got to bear in mind, Whitney at the moment she wasn’t a star— she wasn’t massive. Folks didn’t actually know her.”
Actually, “Saving All My Love for You” was Houston’s breakout hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 chart. The music, off Houston’s debut album, was the primary of her seven consecutive No. 1 singles, based on Billboard.
Ross met her earlier than she grew to become a family identify. “After I met her, she was simply this bright-eyed, lovely sister who may sing,” he continued. “However I didn’t know the way good she may sing” till one specific second on set.
For individuals who by no means noticed the video (the place have you ever been??) there’s one scene when Ross, who performed Houston’s producer, is watching her sing within the recording sales space. Houston, like most artists, was lip-syncing her music for the video, however the director apparently wasn’t feeling the vibes. So he requested her to sing for actual, and nobody was prepared for it.
“I bear in mind it prefer it was yesterday,” Ross mentioned. “When she began singing that music for actual, I used to be like, ‘This lady’s bought that it’— no matter that ‘it’ is that they speak about that makes an individual a star,” he continued. Houston’s star energy was apparent from that second on. “I didn’t know she was going to be who she is, however I knew that her voice resonated in your soul.”
The actor went on to say the duo had tons of enjoyable whereas filming, and he even gave her a number of suggestions to assist her attain deep into her appearing bag. “We had such a very good time that we truly exchanged numbers, and we needed to maintain involved,” he informed TikTok. Issues didn’t go as deliberate, nonetheless, as she lived in New York Metropolis and Ross was nonetheless in London. “I’ll always remember it,” he mentioned with a smile.
In a full circle second, Ross additionally revealed he was casted to play Uncle Ray in “Bobbi Kristina,” the 2017 movie detailing the lifetime of Houston’s solely baby. In fact, this was after the singer’s 2012 passing and Bobbi Kristina’s dying in 2015. “Whitney and I’ve numerous connection factors,” Ross continued.
Regardless of the tragic deaths of Houston and her daughter, Ross nonetheless manages to smile when remembering Houston’s voice and the temporary time they shared. Lately, Ross was casted in Tyler Perry’s “Magnificence in Black,” which you’ll be able to watch on Netflix.