Waiting to Exhale
Directed by	Forest Whitaker
Produced by	Ronald Bass Terry McMillan Deborah Schindler Ezra Swerdlow
Written by	Terry McMillan (book and teleplay) Ronald Bass (teleplay)
Starring	Whitney Houston Angela Bassett Loretta Devine Lela Rochon
Music by	Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	December 22, 1995
Running time	127 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15,000,000
Gross revenue	Domestic: $67,052,156[1] Worldwide $81,452,156
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 romance film starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett and directed by Forest Whitaker. The movie was adapted from the novel of the same name by Terry McMillan and also stars Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon. The original music score was composed by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The story centers on four female friends living in the Phoenix, AZ area and their relationships with men and one another. All of them are "holding their breath" until the day they can feel comfortable in a committed relationship with a man. Image File history File links WaitingExhale. ... Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director. ... Ronald Bass (March 26, 1942 – ), born Ronald Jay Bass and sometimes credited as Ron Bass, is a prolific U.S. screenwriter. ... Terry McMillan (born October 18, 1951 in Port Huron, Michigan) is an African-American author. ... Terry McMillan (born October 18, 1951 in Port Huron, Michigan) is an African-American author. ... Ronald Bass (March 26, 1942 – ), born Ronald Jay Bass and sometimes credited as Ron Bass, is a prolific U.S. screenwriter. ... Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ... Loretta Devine Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas) is an American actress. ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... Babyface redirects here. ... Twentieth (20th) Century Fox Film Corporation (known from 1935 to 1985 as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation) is one of the six major American film studios. ... is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The year 1995 in film involved some significant events. ... Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ... Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director. ... Terry McMillan (born October 18, 1951 in Port Huron, Michigan) is an African-American author. ... Loretta Devine Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas) is an American actress. ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... Babyface redirects here. ... Phoenix is the capital, largest city and largest metropolitan area in the state of Arizona, United States. ...

The movie is notable for having an all-black cast. The success of the film proved that there is an audience for black movies. The LA Times called it a "social phenomenon".^[2]

Plot summary

Savannah Jackson (Whitney Houston) is a television producer who holds on to the belief that one day her married lover (Dennis Haysbert) will leave his wife for her. Bernadine Harris (Angela Bassett) abandoned her own career and desires of having a catering business to raise a family. Her husband is now leaving her for a white woman. Robin Stokes (Lela Rochon) is the long-time mistress of Russell (Leon Robinson). After dumping him she has problems finding a decent man of her own. Gloria Matthews (Loretta Devine) is a beauty salon owner and single mother raising a teenage son. After years alone, she falls in love with a new neighbor, Marvin King (Gregory Hines). Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... The primary role of a television producer is to coordinate and control all aspects of production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking. ... Dennis Dexter Haysbert (born June 2, 1954) is an American film and television actor. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ... Whites redirects here. ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV of France. ... Leon Preston Robinson IV (born March 8, 1962) is an American actor and singer. ... Loretta Devine Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas) is an American actress. ... Gregory Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was a Tony Award-winning American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. ...

Soundtrack

Full article: Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack)

The soundtrack to the film featured many African-American female artists. The #1 hit song "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)", sung by Whitney Houston, is on the soundtrack to this film, as well as the Top 5 singles "Not Gon' Cry" by Mary J. Blige, "Sittin Up In My Room" by Brandy, and the Top 10 single "Count On Me" by Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans. Waiting to Exhale is a soundtrack for the film of the same name. ... Exhale (Shoop Shoop) is a 1995 hit single by R&B singer Whitney Houston, featured on the soundtrack of the film Waiting to Exhale, in which she also starred. ... Not Gon Cry is a 1996 single by Mary J. Blige from the soundtrack to the film Waiting to Exhale. ... Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is an American R&B, soul, and hip hop soul singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, record producer, actress, and hip hop icon who has sold more than 40 million records and over 10 million singles worldwide. ... Brandy on the cover of her album Full Moon Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979 in McComb, Mississippi), known professionally as Brandy, is an African American pop/R&B singer and actress. ... Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Trivia

• Director Forest Whitaker was the unanimous first choice of the film's producers and screenwriters.
• Houston's role in the film bore a resemblance to the character she played in the music video to her single "Saving All My Love for You" - a woman having an affair with a married man.
• Forest Whitaker stated in an interview with Ebony Magazine that Robin Givens and Sarah Jessica Parker were among the women who auditioned for the role of Robin. After casting Houston and Bassett, he decided to go with relative unknowns for the other two roles, and the role of Robin was subsequently given to Lela Rochon.
• A brief controversy involving Whitaker and HBO regarding the HBO drama Sex and the City ended with Whitaker ultimately winning an undisclosed settlement from the network. Whitaker claimed in an interview with US Weekly that Jessica Parker and HBO "stole my show and are trying to get me."
• Although Whitaker had earlier directed an HBO drama called Strapped (1993) for which he received Best New Director honors at the Toronto Film Festival this film was his first job directing a full-length feature film.
• The movie has been featured in two episodes of The Simpsons: All Singing, All Dancing, where the family were put on hold for it but were told "not to hold their breath", and E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt), where it was mentioned in conversation.
• The scene where Bernadine sets her husbands' personal belongings and car on fire was referenced in an episode of The Steve Harvey Show. Lydia's character becomes angry with "Bullethead" and throws his personal effects out of their shared locker. She is about to set them on fire with a lighter, and states "I'm about to go Angela Bassett and I don't have any lighter fluid." Ultimately, Steve intervenes to prevent this from happening.

Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director. ... Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director. ... Ebony, a magazine for the African American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has been published since the autumn of 1945. ... Robin Givens (born November 27, 1964 in New York, New York) is an American actress. ... Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and producer, with a portfolio of television, movie, and theater performances. ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is a premium cable television network with headquarters in New York City. ... Sex and the City is a popular American cable television program. ... Us Weekly (a. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is a premium cable television network with headquarters in New York City. ... The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is generally considered to be one of the five top film festivals in the world. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... All Singing, All Dancing is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt) is the fifth episode of the eleventh season of The Simpsons. ... The Steve Harvey Show (August 25, 1996—February 24, 2002) aired for six seasons on The WB Television Network. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ...

Cast

• Whitney Houston as Savannah 'Vannah' Jackson
• Angela Bassett as Bernadine 'Bernie' Harris
• Loretta Devine as Gloria 'Glo' Matthews
• Lela Rochon as Robin Stokes
• Gregory Hines as Marvin King
• Dennis Haysbert as Kenneth Dawkins
• Mykelti Williamson as Troy
• Michael Beach as John Harris, Sr.
• Leon as Russell
• Wendell Pierce as Michael Davenport
• Donald Faison as Tarik Matthews
• Jeffrey D. Sams as Lionel
• Jazz Raycole as Onika Harris
• Brandon Hammond as John Harris, Jr.
• Kenya Moore as Denise
• Wesley Snipes as James Wheeler (uncredited)
• Giancarlo Esposito as David Matthews (uncredited)

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ... Loretta Devine Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas) is an American actress. ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... Gregory Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was a Tony Award-winning American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. ... Dennis Dexter Haysbert (born June 2, 1954) is an American film and television actor. ... Mykelti Williamson (born March 4, 1960 in St. ... Michael Beach (born October 30, 1963) is an American actor. ... Leon Preston Robinson IV (born March 8, 1962) is an American actor and singer. ... Wendell Pierce (born December 8, 1962) is an American actor. ... Donald Adeosun Faison (born June 22, 1974 in New York City, New York) of Nigerian descent is a television and movie actor, known for his role as Dr. Christopher Turk in the NBC television series Scrubs. ... Jeffrey D. Sams is an American actor known primarily for his television work. ... Jazz Raycole is an American actress who played Claire Kyle in the popular sitcom My Wife and Kids during its first season. ... Brandon Hammond (born February 6, 1984) is a former American child actor who appeared in a string of high profile projects in the 1990s. ... Kenya Moore Kenya Summer Moore (born January 24, 1971 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American film and television actress. ... Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, film producer, martial artist, and tax protester. ... Giancarlo Esposito (b. ...

Awards/Nominations

Angela Bassett

• Image Awards
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture:
    • (Angela Bassett) Winner
    • (Whitney Houston) Nominated
  • Outstanding Soundtrack: Winner
  • Outstanding Motion Picture: Winner
  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture: (Gregory Hines) Nominated
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:
    • (Loretta Devine) Winner
    • (Lela Rochon) Nominated

• MTV Movie Awards
  • Best Female Breakthrough Performance: (Lela Rochon) Nominated
  • Best Song From a Movie:
    • Brandy - "Sittin' Up In My Room" Winner
    • Whitney Houston - "Shoop Shoop" Nominated

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 415 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (706 × 1019 pixel, file size: 747 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 415 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (706 × 1019 pixel, file size: 747 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ... The NAACP Image Award is an award presented annually by the NAACP to honor the top African-Americans in film, television, music and literature. ... Bassett and husband Courtney Vance Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actor who is particularly known for biographical film roles portraying women in American culture. ... Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ... Gregory Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was a Tony Award-winning American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. ... Loretta Devine Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949 in Houston, Texas) is an American actress. ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV (Music Television). ... Lela Rochon (born April 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an African-American actress of Haitian descent of who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ... Brandy on the cover of her album Full Moon Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979 in McComb, Mississippi), known professionally as Brandy, is an African American pop/R&B singer and actress. ... Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is a six-time Grammy award winning, American R&B singer, soprano, pianist, actress, film producer, and former model. ...

References

This just IN !!!:paris hiltons new dog. ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

External links

• Waiting to Exhale at the Internet Movie Database
• Waiting to Exhale at Rotten Tomatoes