Kevin Costner reveals how 'broken' call from Dionne Warwick led to him giving Whitney Houston eulogy

25 July 2024, 14:41

Kevin Costner has opened up about how he ended up speaking at Whitney Houston's memorial, despite previously opting to grieve in private. Picture: Getty

By Giorgina Ramazzotti

The Bodyguard star went on to give an emotional speech at the star's memorial in New Jersey.

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Kevin Costner has opened up about how he ended up speaking at Whitney Houston's memorial, despite previously opting to grieve in private.

The actor, 69, explained that after she died suddenly on February 11, 2012, he had turned down every request to speak about Whitney Houston's death, but a call from Whitney's cousin changed everything.

Dionne Warwick, whose mother and Whitney's mother were sisters, spoke to The Bodyguard star and changed the course of the star's televised memorial.

"Whitney was certainly so worthy to talk about, but it's not my first instinct to go out there, to rush to the mic," Costner, 69, told PEOPLE.

The actor, 69, explained that after she died suddenly on February 11, 2012, he had turned down every request to speak about Whitney Houston's death, but a call from Whitney's cousin changed everything. Picture: Getty

"Whitney was certainly so worthy to talk about, but it&squot;s not my first instinct to go out there, to rush to the mic," Costner, 69, told PEOPLE. — "Whitney was certainly so worthy to talk about, but it's not my first instinct to go out there, to rush to the mic," Costner, 69, told PEOPLE. . Picture: Getty

"But I got a call from Dionne Warwick and I could tell in her voice she was broken. I said yes to her when I had been saying no all week.

"I heard in her voice how tired she was, how many decisions she was probably having to make, who would speak, who wouldn't speak," Costner continues. "She goes, 'Kevin, can I ask you?' and I [just] said, 'Yes.' "

Kevin then revealed he immediately second-guessed his decision.

"I'm thinking, 'Why am I speaking? I just was her imaginary bodyguard,' " he said, referring to his time starring opposite her in the 1992 smash hit film.

Kevin reflected that he "didn't read the tea leaves correctly, how much [our relationship] meant to other people."

The star recalled the 'electric' memorial for Whitney Houston, held at New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey.

"I remember being in the pews, and I had never been in a church that was more electric," he said. "Two bands were playing ... I thought this place was on fire."

Dionne Warwick's mother and Whitney's mother, Cissy, were sisters (pictured in 1990). Picture: Getty

In Loving Memory of Whitney - Houston's funeral - Kevin Costner's full emotional speech

Kevin went on to say that before getting on the podium someone informed him he may need to cut his speech short because "CNN’s covering this."

The defiant actor replied: "'I'm sorry, I didn't realise CNN was here, but they can take a commercial break,'

"'I'm going to say what I want to say. I came a long way to talk about this little girl.'"

Costner added that before getting to the stage to deliver what would be an emotional 17-minute eulogy, his nerves got the better of him.

"I remember looking back and seeing Diane Sawyer and Oprah Winfrey ... I think they were sitting together, and I went, 'Can you do my speech?'"

"I really wanted them to do it. I didn't want to go up, but I did," Costner added.

Talking to actor Dax Shepherd on his podcast, Armchair Expert in June 2024, Costner opened up about the bond he established with Whitney during filming and his hand in getting her cast in the movie.

"I loved her. It's not like this giant mystery. So I knew that she should be the one," Kevin stated.

Whitney starred as the lead in the 1992 hit movie The Bodyguard, pictured. Picture: Warner Bros

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After fears that The Bodyguard was going to be panned, after it didn't test well with audiences, Costner made a "promise to her" and Whitney's manager Clive Davis that it'd work out.

"She's always gonna love me, in the song. I was always gonna keep my promise to her."

"There was a moment where I knew when Whitney came, I said, 'Look, you can't have an entourage, but I'm gonna take care of you if there's a person important to you' - turned out to be Robyn Crawford - I said, ‘Let's have Robyn with you… I don't have [an entourage] you're not going to have one.’ And that's how we started."

"I don't know what it was, but we had a moment, and I realised that the world had a higher idea of who we were, so I basically embraced it. I was her imaginary bodyguard," he added.