Akron native Kofi Boakye plays piano in pivotal Whitney Houston movie scene

Think the piano player in a scene with characters Whitney Houston and Rickey Minor looks familiar in the recently released biopic "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody?"

Well, you're right. The musician playing the grand piano live in the film is Akron native Kofi Boakye, 23. He filmed the scene in October 2021 in Boston with star Naomi Ackie (portraying Houston) singing live along with Dave Heard playing Houston's music director, Rickey Minor.

In the scene, it's 1994 and Heard's Rickey Minor is in a rehearsal hall trying to convince Houston to perform a medley of three mega power ballads — Gershwin's "I Love You Porgy," "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going" from "Dreamgirls" and Houston's hit single "I Have Nothing" — but Houston was not having it.

In the 2½-minute scene, Houston reluctantly sings along to part of "I Have Nothing," objects to Minor's plan for a big key change, and ends up storming out of the rehearsal as Boakye is still playing.

On Dec. 27, Boakye said on Facebook, "It was super dope sharing the screen with Naomi Ackie and Dave Heard!" He also gave a shout out to director Kasi Lemmons, music supervisor Maureen Crowe and Rickey Minor, Houston's real-life music director, for giving him musical guidance for his filming and recording.

Boakye received coaching from Minor on the seminal moment in Houston's career that the scene represents. Boakye talked to Minor on Zoom from his trailer earlier in the shooting day to run through what the scene was all about.

Minor also coached Boakye, Heard and Ackie via Zoom on set that day about the real-life moment he himself had experienced with Houston as her music director, before the three shot the scene at the piano.

"It's really highlighting one of the biggest moments in her career. That whole medley was one of the biggest things she's ever done aside from the national anthem," Boakye said of the late Houston's iconic medley, which is seen later in the film in a triumphant moment at the 21st Annual American Music Awards in 1994. "That's why the scene is so important."

The second iconic career moment Boakye referred to was the pop diva's performance of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa in 1991, which captured hearts across the nation.

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Boakye wasn't sure his scene made the cut until he heard from supporters through social media after the film opened in theaters Dec. 23.

"I was definitely surprised" by the supporters' messages, Boakye said.

The pianist, who splits his time between Boston and Akron, was home for the holidays when he saw "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" in the theater with his mother, Carolyn Bland-Boakye, the day after Christmas.

"It was definitely cool to see everything kinda come together on camera," Boakye said.

How Akron's Kofi Boakye landed part in Whitney Houston movie

In the summer of 2021, after receiving a vaguely worded audition notice on Instagram, Boakye sent a 1-minute performance video of him playing "Say Yes" by Floetry from a 2019 performance at the Apollo Theater to a casting agent in Boston. He thought the call was for a pianist for a documentary on a singer.

Boakye, a graduate of Akron Early College who studied at Berklee College of Music before the pandemic, was grand prize winner of the 88th season Amateur Night at the Apollo in November.

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Word later got around Boston that a Whitney Houston movie was being filmed in the city. Then in October, a casting director for the film called Boakye and said: "They want you for the Whitney Houston movie! The directors of the Whitney movie want you."

Boakye, who was 21 at the time, almost turned the opportunity down, thinking the role was as an extra and he didn't have the time.

The call came on a Thursday and the shoot was three days later. Boakye had a concert Saturday and a flight to catch to Cleveland Sunday night for a live appearance on Fox 8 that Monday morning.

"She told me this was a principal role," Boakye said, and he'd actually be playing the piano in the film. "Also, because I'm playing music, it's kind of the equivalent of having lines."

Boakye ultimately said yes to the opportunity.

As a principal, he got his own trailer next to Heard's. His day began with hair and makeup and he was transported with Heard to the New England Conservatory, where the scene was shot in Williams Hall.

The pianist was on location by about 1 p.m. for a run-through of the scene, which was followed by a break. Boakye also recorded some additional audio of his piano playing for another scene that didn't end up in the final film, the musician said.

His filming with Ackie and Heard began at 4 or 5 p.m. and ended at about 1:30 a.m., after various delays and about five takes.

By that point, Boakye had missed his flight to Cleveland and had to skip an in-person interview with Fox 8 the next morning to promote a fundraising concert he was doing for his upcoming birthday at Edgar's Restaurant in Akron. The news station instead used Boakye's pre-recorded music that he had sent them.

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The film production company sent Boakye on a different flight the next morning back to Northeast Ohio.

The experience of being a part of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" was worth it, he said.

"It was definitely an experience. It was fun this time because I was not an extra," said the pianist, who played an extra on HBO Max's 2022 show "Julia." "They give you a lot better treatment for sure" as a principal.

How to watch 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody'

The Whitney Houston film is now playing exclusively in movie theaters. The 35-song movie soundtrack was released by RCA Records Dec. 16.

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron's Kofi Boakye plays piano in key Whitney Houston movie scene