Rihanna has admitted that she would love to portray the late Whitney Houston in a movie about her life.

The 24-year-old says that the music icon, who died on February 11, was someone she "looked up to."

During a press conference for her upcoming movie Battleship in Japan today, Rihanna revealed that she was not in the running to play Whitney but she would be honoured to do it.

"I didn't get that call yet," the Barbadian singer-turned-actress said. "That would be something that I would have to give my entire life to do because I would want to really pull it off."

"That's a huge, huge role and whoever does it has to do a good job."

Rihanna added that she admired the Bodyguard star and had the pleasure of meeting her.

"I met her at a Clive Davis party," Rihanna shared. "I love her. She's one of my big music icons, and I have always looked up to her."

"My first song that I remember falling in love with was a Whitney Houston song I Will Always Love You. All of her music actually was played in my house, with Mariah Carey and Celine Dion."

"It was really inspiring and it made me develop a passion for music, so really she's partly responsible for me being here in this industry."

Rihanna says that if she doesn't get the Whitney role she wants to try her hand at "different roles - maybe comedy next."