If you’ve seen the popular 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” you’re probably already aware of the amazing onscreen chemistry between costars the late Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner.
But in a new interview on the “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard” podcast, the acclaimed actor shared how that same chemistry extended beyond the time the cameras were rolling. He explained that he and Houston agreed on a pact to show up to the film’s set without an entourage so they could build an organic trust between each other.
He also described how the director Mick Jackson was initially “afraid of her” and how he had to take hold of the reigns during filming to make sure the “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” singer could perform comfortably.
“I started to guide her. And I wasn’t trying to usurp my director, but I had made a promise to her, not to f*****g him,” Costner said.
He later added:
“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 realized that the world had a higher idea of who we were, so I basically embraced it. I was her imaginary bodyguard.”
In sharing that he handpicked Houston for the role, the “Yellowstone” star told Shepard, “I loved her. It’s not like this giant mystery. So I knew that she should be the one.”
Though “The Bodyguard” didn’t go on to receive critical acclaim, it’s a well loved cult classic for many fans, and hit single from the soundtrack, “I Will Always Love You” remains a cherished classic.