Bet You Didn’t Know: Secrets Behind the Making of “Waiting to Exhale”

July 16th, 2012 - By Veronica Wells

Source: muhsadam.wordpress.com

When Terry McMillan’s novel Waiting to Exhale sat on the New York Times’ bestseller list for 38 straight weeks in 1992, it was only natural that the studios would want to capitalize on some of those potential earnings. So, just three years later, in 1995, Fox Studios brought us Waiting to Exhale a star-studded, female-led film. As expected, the film was a huge box office success, eventually raking in $67.5 million. Though some critics claimed these women’s problems weren’t that drastic, it was an instant hit and an eventual classic among the black community.

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  • http://profile.yahoo.com/GC6Q7QILDVN7EU2NPTT6GAXNYY Neko

    The book totally sucked so I hope they really go way out to make the sequel work.

  • ItchingforTheSequel

    I have read the sequel that Terry McMillan wrote to Waiting To Exhale called Getting To Happy, and Savannah definitely has a storyline. They would have to change the direction of the book in order to write her character out. But that wouldn’t be the first time a studio has decided to take an author’s work and change it…

  • DDot

    Kim Fields she always reminded me of Whitney!!

  • JaiahJaxon

    Why ruin a classic with a sequel almost 20 years later?? I love Loretta Devine, but she’s 62! I want to remember her as 90s Gloria not see How Auntie Gloria Got Her Groove Back: The Granny Panty Edition.

    • lark

      hmm good point, maybe a “prequel’ with a younger cast (young versions of the same charaACTERS) or a sequel with their daughters as friends

  • Mz Vee

    I think Vanessa Williams, Regina King or Nia Long would work

  • aaron

    Kelly rowland

  • deedee

    Taraji p henson would be a good replacement or nia long. Or maybe lisa raye.

    • Big Kitty

      Oh no, not LisaRaye! She can’t act to me, and that tried tongue of hers works me. I would still go and support it though.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/GC6Q7QILDVN7EU2NPTT6GAXNYY Neko

      Lisa Raye, OMG, this would truly ruin any attempt at making a bad book into an ok movie. It would NOT be on my list of things to waste my money on.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RMFE5V6ITVKKO4XIJXKPBBYJDI najaca

    They really don’t need to do a sequel. If they replace Whitney’s character Savannah, people are going to give that actress a hard time. But people love Whitney, its difficult to replace her as a singer, but I think they can find someone to do the role. Not Oprah. Maybe the actress that played Bernie Mac’s wife on his show?

    • MissDiva05

      Ohhhh… I think I like that idea. Kellita Smith just might work!

    • http://www.facebook.com/taryn.swain1 Taryn Bryant

      She’s too harsh. I can’t see her in that role. Whitney brought a strength, yet vulnerability to that role that is hard to mirror. They just need to let it be. No more sequels. maybe they can work on something else. I love all of those actresses.

  • LC

    I love this movie, I think a sequel would be wonderful & they should just say that Savannah passed away.
    & I must say that Babyface is a genius, this is *hands down* the best soundtrack ever!!

  • staci b

    no sequel please

  • iReezy

    The sequel should be cancelled in my opinion. A main character has passed, and with the other original members returning it will be so hard watching with a replacement Savannah. The on-screen chemistry with the first movie was so convincing that I don’t want to see it done with anyone else. But I guess the show must go on…sadly.

  • IllyPhilly

    I just love number/page four!

  • Jenn

    I miss Whitney and loved this film! If a sequal is made I’ll support but if they don’t that’s fine too…it’s a classic and I dont’ want anyone or anything ruining that.

  • unque43

    I would love to see the sequel. I think Whitney would be honored she was aboard for the sequel. I would not want a replacement for her part. However Oprah would bring a whole new element to the movie. I hope that they do the sequel.

  • cocochanel31

    I would love to see the sequel..unfortunatly fiction mirrors real life since Gregory passed in real life and he passed in the book, so no neeed to replace him, and lets just have Savannah be away out of the country..replacing her would be doing her an injustice bc we would forever think of Whitney in that role.

  • AfricanBambi

    Wow i never knew Babyface wrote the whole soundtrack! That man’s a genius for that one…pure emotion in those songs. *sings* “E-leven years i saaa-crificed. And you could leave me at the drop of a diiiiimeee…” YES!

  • Coffeewithextracream

    I would rather them write Whitney’s character out of the storyline than replace her…. say Savannah took a job out of the country or something or even say that the character passed away.

    • AC

      I so agree with this but maybe the studio thinks if they just write her out they would have to change the screenplay so much that it won’t mirror the book. Savannah’s story after all is 1/4 of the book. No sequel would be best but I can’t imagine who could replace Whitney. Maybe, Halle?

    • http://www.facebook.com/taryn.swain1 Taryn Bryant

      No one can exactly replace Whitney. She made that character hers. They may replace her but it won’t be that same dynamic.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1604244 Raimi Nicte

    Seeing as there was a sequel to the book, it makes sense that there would be a sequel to the movie…its not as if they are just pulling a sequel out of thin air

  • SayWhat!

    I would rather not see a sequel being that Whitney is gone I would rather keep it as is alot of the times sequels are flops. But if they replace Whitney which she is irreplaceable i could see Vivica Foxx.

    • Yvette

      No! not Vivica. I’ve liked Vivica in other things, but I can’t see her playing the part of Savannah or anything else in this film.

      • http://profile.yahoo.com/GC6Q7QILDVN7EU2NPTT6GAXNYY Neko

        ITA, Vivica is not classy enough for the Savannah role. Now I could see her playing Robin, lol.

  • MedPassion

    I would certainly love to see the sequel. The first film seemed so authentic. And that soundtrack was a masterpiece!

    As a side note: I just don’t see Oprah as a sexual, romantic entity. But, hey, stranger things have happened :)

    Still can’t believe Whitney is gone. However, I choose to believe she’s in a better place.

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