Whitney Houston returns to the big screen for the first time in 15 years in Sparkle, a remake of the 1976 Motown-era film. In the first official still from the movie (via PEOPLE), the legendary singer plays mother to her co-star, Jordin Sparks.

“Part of the fun of making this movie is definitely the costumes and the hairstyles,” the 48-year-old diva tells PEOPLE. “The movie is set in 1963, and we had a great wardrobe, hair and makeup person and I loved wearing the outfits.”

Sparks makes her film debut alongside Houston.

“She was so cool and very motherly toward me,” says the 22-year-old “American Idol” winner, who plays a singer who hits it big. “If I ever looked like I needed something, here she came saying ‘Are you okay?’”

Sparkle, which marks Houston’s first big-screen role since The Preacher’s Wife in 1996, opens in theaters on August 10.