[1] Naomi Ackie was born on 2 November 1992[2] in Walthamstow, London,[3] the daughter of second-generation immigrants from Grenada.

[7] She subsequently appeared in Idris Elba's directorial debut Yardie (2018) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

[11] Ackie portrayed American singer Whitney Houston in the biographical film I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

[12] The film opened to mixed reviews but widespread praise for Ackie's performance, with Variety calling her "a veritable artist of lip-syncing.

"[13] The Hollywood Reporter noted that Ackie herself is "a capable singer" and can be heard briefly in a few early scenes.