Whitney Houston gave Jordin Sparks plenty of "mommy hugs" on the set of their new movie.

The pair star in a remake of Sparkle, about three sisters who form a successful singing group and have to deal with the fallout of fame and drugs.

This is Jordin's first big screen outing and Whitney could relate to how nervous the young star was feeling.

"I can remember doing The Bodyguard, my first movie, and I was petrified. I was working with Kevin Costner, the hottest in Hollywood," she told Access Hollywood. "So every now and then I would go over to her and give her mommy hugs, you know what I am saying, good mommy hugs.

"But Jordin has it down."

In the movie, Jordin plays the title role while Whitney is her mother, Emma.

The 21-year-old who won the sixth season of American Idol was initially in awe of Whitney. However, she insists the singing legend soon made her feel comfortable.

"I was around her quite a lot and I would be singing and she walks by and I would think, Oh, I better be quiet!' But she has been so sweet and so nurturing," Jordin revealed.

Whitney hasn't appeared on the big screen since 1996 drama The Preacher's Wife.

However, the 48-year-old star who has battled drug use - felt the time was right to make a return in the music drama.

"I am older, I have matured," she explained. "I feel honoured, I feel humbled that I am still able to do what I do.

"I have an 18-year-old daughter, I felt the love this woman has for her children, in the late 60s, a single mother trying to keep her family together. I just felt that passion for it, and when it was suggested I play the mother I said, OK, I think I can do this. I've had the practice.'"