Surprisingly, Kevin Costner had a huge role in one of the six songs Whitney Houston performed in the romantic drama thriller, The Bodyguard. Houston and Costner headlined as co-stars in the 1992 film, exuding incredible chemistry in the roles of a pop megastar and the retired Secret Service agent hired to protect her. Houston was already a music industry superstar in her own right at the time of The Bodyguard’s release, therefore all the music she sang as the fictional idol, Rachel Marron, came from her own artistic ability.
Costner, too, took on significant responsibilities in the production of The Bodyguard, not only in his character, the agent Frank Farmer, but as a producer of the film. Cooperatively though, Houston and Costner made even more magic aside from the romantic affiliation between their characters or the sensational efforts they made individually. Out of The Bodyguard, Houston and Costner became lifelong friends and collaborated in the making of one of The Bodyguard’s, and the world’s, biggest hit songs.
Kevin Costner Advised The Use Of ‘I Will Always Love You’ For The Bodyguard
When Houston was confirmed to feature alongside Costner, there was only a matter of finding The Bodyguard’s defining single to match the nonpareil voice of a generation. Production on The Bodyguard sought a soundtrack showstopper, and dozens of songs, including Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” were vetted to no success. However, in a stroke of musical genius, it was Costner himself who brought Dolly Parton’s original country croon “I Will Always Love You” to the attention of his co-star, Houston.
His hand in Houston’s rendition covered more than just the recommendation, and Costner went as far as to suggest (and succeed in convincing) Houston to sing the intro to “I Will Always Love You” acapella. Costner’s acting prowess in his best movies may be familiar to most, but his ear for music would have been relatively undisclosed were it not for The Bodyguard’s number one hit. “I Will Always Love You” is classified among music’s biggest songs of all time, and a staple in Houston’s immensely successful catalog.
Kevin Costner Knew Whitney Houston Was Perfect For The Bodyguard Casting
Before magic was made in the music, Costner knew Houston would be the perfect candidate for the part of Rachel Marron. In fact, in the forethought of production, Costner was a proponent in casting Houston in the role, even though she was not in the peak of her career at the time and despite dissent for the prospect of them portraying an interracial couple on the big screen. Throughout the years and since The Bodyguard premiered, he has continued to speak highly of the late singer and her part in their shared project.
During an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Costner recalled his time with Houston and The Bodyguard’s successful result in the face of a number of resisting factors:
“[The opposition] didn’t matter to me. I just thought she was the perfect choice. Everybody alerted me to the fact that she was Black, which I knew. It might have been easier two years earlier at her peak. But after that movie, she became, I think, one of the biggest stars in the world.”
Like much of the world, Costner mourned the multitalented icon when she passed unexpectedly and was in attendance to give a heartwarming eulogy at her funeral (per The New York Post). The Bodyguard produced the classic in “I Will Always Love You” but also a very precious friendship between two stars.
