The cast of Waiting to Exhale reunited for the movie’s 30th anniversary. They remembered their friend and co-star, Whitney Houston. Actresses Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon reflected on the making of the movie, its impact, and the close bond they still share. The ladies spoke warmly about Houston’s central role.
Waiting to Exhale actors recall their bond with Whitney Houston
The Waiting to Exhale actresses during the reunion said Houston brought joy and generosity to the set. Loretta Devine remembered her laugh and how much fun they had together. She said (via CBS Mornings interview with Gayle King), “She loved doing it. She had so much fun, and we had fun.”
Lela Rochon said she believes Houston would be happy about the movie’s legacy, saying, “I think she would be proud.” She also recalled a moment that held significance for her during the film’s promotion.
When some outlets wanted to speak only to Houston and Bassett, Houston refused to go along. “She said, ‘No. We go as a group, or we don’t go at all,’ and that was powerful for me, that she stood up for us,” Rochon said.
During the Waiting to Exhale reunion with Gayle King, Bassett described the on-set feeling and the importance of authenticity in the work they made together. “I knew it was special because it’s our faces, our brown, beautiful, brilliant faces, on the screen, together. It broke through,” she said. She added that when projects are made with truth and care, “it resonates, it travels, it lives, it breathes.”
The cast also spoke about what the film still means to audiences today. Devine noted how the movie changed the way Black women were shown on screen. She said, “It makes Black women feel good about themselves,” adding that the story shows women can “be and do just about anything you dream of.”
Rochon summed it up during the reunion by calling Waiting to Exhale, a film “about the love of friendship” and praising the real-life bond the women continue to share.
Originally reported by Preksha Sharma for ComingSoon.
