Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston make a splash in “Sparkle”

American Idol winner Jordin Sparks made her big-screen debut in “Sparkle,” which hits theaters today. The movie is a remake of a classic from the seventies that starred Irene Cara and featured music from Motown’s Aretha Franklin. “Sparkle,” set in 1960s Detroit, is about the story of the title character, a talented singer/songwriter who struggles to discover her own artistic voice while performing in a group with her two sisters.

Sparks plays the role of Sparkle, while Whitney Houston, who died in February, plays her Bible driven mother, a former singer who tries to steer her children away from the evils of the music business. Sparks said the best way to prepare for her big role was to memorize the scripts. “I knew my lines. I knew everybody else’s lines,” she told ABC News Radio. “I knew their exits and entrances and that’s really what helped me as soon as I got there and then I just learned from everybody else.” Houston, the most awarded female singer of all time and Sparks’ idol, produced the film. Sparks said bringing “Sparkle” to the big screen was a major goal of Houston’s. “It was her baby,” Sparks said. “She worked very, very hard on this project for over 10 years. So, to see it all come to life, I just can’t wait.”