Whitney Houston couldn't wait to start work on Waiting To Exhale

Whitney Houston was "excited" to start work on a sequel to hit 1995 movie Waiting To Exhale and couldn't wait to reunite with her original castmates, according to her co-star Loretta Devine.

The late soul superstar died on Saturday in her suite at Los Angeles' Beverly Hilton hotel - just weeks after wrapping her movie comeback in Sparkle, her first film since starring in The Preacher's Wife in 1996.

Devine reveals she spoke to Houston recently and the singer couldn't wait to catch up with her Waiting To Exhale co-stars, including Angela Bassett and Lela Rochon, on the set of the second installment, which was due to begin shooting later this year.

And the actress has been left stunned by the unexpected tragedy.

Devine tells MTV.com, "I am overwhelmed. I cannot wrap my mind around this. I missed the chance to see her at a party this past Thursday and when we spoke last she had just finished Sparkle and she told me how excited she was to start production on Waiting to Exhale 2 with Angela, Lela and myself.

"My prayers go out to her family and I am so honoured for the time I spent working with her on Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife and on Boston Public. I love you, Whitney, and I will miss your easy laugh."

Bassett confirmed last year that a sequel to Waiting To Exhale, about the love lives of four female friends in Phoenix, Arizona, was in the works. It was based on Terry McMillan's 1992 book of the same name.

Forest Whitaker, who made his feature film directorial debut with the movie, was expected to return as director.

WENN.com