Although she is an American Idol champ and is now a pop star vet, Jordin Sparks is still just 23, and having the chance to work with Whitney Houston on Sparkle (opening August 17th) was obviously an enriching experience for singer.

“For me, just being in Whitney’s presence, I loved the fact that she had this knowing behind her eyes,” says Sparks, who describes the late artist as a nurturing person.  “She had this wisdom and she wasn’t afraid to confront that.”

The movie, set in 1968 Detroit, centers on three sisters (Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter) who form a girl group.  Houston is their overprotective and stern mother, a woman who believes their music passions will only break their collective hearts.

During today’s interview with Sparks, she reflected on the moment she heard of Houston’s passing and also talked about the last time she saw her co-star:

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posted by Greg Srisavasdi (Twitter: @gsrisavasdi)