‘Waiting to Exhale’ Cast Looks Back With Love as the Film Turns 30

Some movies fade away over time. Others feel like warm blankets you keep reaching for. Waiting to Exhale is definitely the second kind. Three decades after its release, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon sat down with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, laughing, reminiscing and proving that the heart of this iconic film is still beating strong.

The actresses were quick to honor their fourth sister in the story, Whitney Houston, who played Vannah. Houston died in 2012, but her presence still guides their memories.

Of the movie’s milestone, Rochon said, "I think she would be proud."

Bassett remembered how meaningful it was for Houston to share the spotlight. "I think it would have been one of the seminal experiences... She was so used to being solo, deer in the spotlight, in the hot glare, and to be able to share this moment with your girls, you know?"

Devine added, "She loved doing it. She had so much fun, and we had fun."

Rochon also shared how Houston backed up the entire cast during promotion. When outlets only wanted to interview Houston and Bassett, Whitney put her foot down. "Whitney 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."

Devine laughed remembering her joyful spirit. "My memory of her is that she would laugh easy... She was already ready to laugh about everything."

Bassett recalled meeting Houston for the first time. She told her, "Your voice is as if God put his hands there, and all this glory comes out." Houston replied, "I feel the same way about your acting." Bassett joked her reaction was basically "Ah, so, oh, oh, okay!"

Devine nodded, adding, "She was a bit mesmerized when Angela was acting."

The movie, based on Terry McMillan’s novel, centers on four friends finding confidence, healing and love while leaning on each other. According to the cast, the on screen chemistry wasn’t an accident.

Bassett said she recognized the importance right away. "I knew it was special because it's our faces, our brown, beautiful, brilliant faces, on the screen, together. It broke through."

She explained that people often said stories about Black women wouldn’t “travel” internationally. "[We] burst through that."

Rochon said she could feel how big it would be. "I knew it was special just because it was so unique, and I knew how excited everybody was about it... She couldn't make a flop. So it was special in so many different ways."

Three decades later, the cast says the power of Waiting to Exhale hasn’t dimmed at all.

Devine shared why the movie still hits home. "Because it makes... well, it makes black women feel good about themselves... You can be and do just about anything you dream of." She added that it’s a message for all young women.

Rochon pointed to the movie’s heart. "I think it's about love. And I think the movie is about the love of friendship, because at the end of the day, your girlfriends will always hold you up." She added that their real life friendship makes it even more special.

Bassett emphasized why the movie’s truth still resonates. "It was done [with] authenticity of the voice... but also it was our authenticity as actors, as creatives. We all brought that to bear. When you bring authenticity, it resonates. It travels, it lives, it breathes. It's tangible, authenticity, integrity, across the board, and love.. and those things never get old."

If you’re ready to revisit the laughter, tears and unforgettable soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale is streaming on Hulu.