I Am Celine Dion documentary: The 10 most heartbreaking moments from the Canadian superstar's new film
The documentary, now streaming on Prime Video, is a devastating and terrifying look at singer Celine Dion's battle with Stiff Person Syndrome
The new documentary I Am Celine Dion is now streaming on Prime Video in Canada. The 103-minute film is an unflinching look at Celine Dion's battle with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system, characterized by painful muscle spasms and stiffness, and can include seizures.
SPS has forced Celine Dion to stop performing and she can rarely leave her home. Filmmaker Irene Taylor follows the Canadian superstar around her Las Vegas home as she receives physical therapy and attempts to record music again. Taylor includes footage of Celine Dion as a child, from humble beginnings in Charlemagne, Quebec, to superstardom and selling out arenas worldwide performing powerhouse hits like "All By Myself," "The Power of Love" and the Titanic soundtrack behemoth hit "My Heart Will Go On."
The documentary I Am Celine Dion is a devastating and terrifying looking at the Canadian superstar's battle with SPS. These are some of the beloved singer's most heartbreaking quotes from the film.
On the first time she experienced her 'voice spasming' 17 years ago
It freaked me out a little bit. I was scared. I didn’t know what to do.
On showing documentary filmmaker an unvarnished look at her life with Stiff Person Syndrome
It's very difficult for me to hear that and to show this to you. I don't want people to hear that.
On all the medicine she needed just to function
I was to 80 milligrams to 90 milligrams of Valium a day. That’s just one medicine. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but I could have died. ... I was taking those medicines because I needed to walk, I needed to be able to swallow. I needed medicine to function. One more pill. Two more pills. Five more pills. Too many pills. Show must go on.
On her fans continuing to follow her career
Maybe I can sing another kind of repertoire. But then it’s gonna be their choice to still like me or not.
On delivering on the expectation people have of 'Celine Dion'
There’s been moments where I had to go to the studio and I knew they wanted Celine Dion. Who’s Celine Dion? ... Celine Dion is the one who sang … the highest note ever ... and she’s the best.
On her fear of under-delivering at shows, and her fans being disappointed: Or, the apple tree metaphor
They paid a lot of money around the world to come see our shows.
I feel like…let’s say…I’m an apple tree. And people are in line and I give them apples. The best. And I shine them. And they all leave with a basket of apples. My branches are starting to fall sometimes, get crooked. And those branches are starting to produce a little less apples. But there’s still as many people in line.
I don’t want them to wait in line if I don’t have apples for them.
On the 'lying' and why she had to make the gut-wrenching decision to cancel her tour
Lying. I can’t lie anymore. From a sinus infection to an ear infection, to whatever.
On how she coped with her voice breaking on her during live shows and performances
Sometimes I would point my microphone towards the audience and I would make them sing it. There’s moments where I cheated and I tapped on the microphone, like it was the microphone’s fault.
On her reaction after she suffered a spasm episode during the documentary
Every time something like this happens, it makes you feel so embarrassed. You don’t like to not have control of yourself. If I can’t get stimulated by what I love, and then I’m going to go on stage and you're going to put the pulse oximeter on me and you’re going to turn me on my back?
On whether she will ever sing and perform again
If I can't run, I'll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl, but I won’t stop.
