Movies

Kevin Costner Reflects on Whitney Houston’s Light as He Celebrates 70th Birthday

BBG News

On his momentous 70th birthday, Kevin Costner reminisced fondly about a cherished memory he had shared with his dear friend, the iconic Whitney Houston.

After discovering an uncommon, backstage snapshot featuring them side by side on the set of their 1992 movie “The Bodyguard,” the duo reminisced about their strong bond and conveyed appreciation to mark another year’s passage.

He expressed gratitude for another birthday and the memory of Whitney, whom we miss dearly, in a post on his Instagram Story, sharing a picture from her account maintained by her estate.

In the image, the two-time Academy Award recipient is depicted with a smile as he stands beside the deceased pop legend (who passed away in 2012 at the age of 48) and hairdresser Ellin LaVar.

Caption for Houston’s post: “Wishing a happy birthday to Kevin Costner! Here’s a backstage snapshot from ‘The Bodyguard’ featuring Kevin, Whitney, and Ellin LaVar, Whitney’s hair stylist for the movie.

This morning, he posted a sweet flashback picture from his childhood where he is dressed as a cowboy.

He expressed his gratitude for the birthday wishes in a post, writing: ‘You all are amazing for remembering my special day! Growing up, I was always drawn to the cowboy lifestyle and I’m proud to say that I continue to live it. Here’s to another year filled with chasing our dreams!’

In the previous year, I was privy to the information that CNN requested I abbreviate the heartfelt eulogy I had prepared for the funeral of Whitney Houston in 2012.

On Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the actor stated that the news channel requested him to shorten his tribute to Houston so it would fit within their scheduled commercial intervals.

Eventually, he firmly maintained that he wouldn’t omit any words from his eulogy, and he challenged CNN to interrupt with an advertisement break during his address instead.

Eight individuals, including Costner, delivered speeches during the funeral service that took place in Newark, New Jersey, for the late Houston.

I can hardly believe it, but on the tragic day of February 11, 2012, I discovered that my all-time favorite singer had passed away – in a heartbreaking twist, her lifeless body was found in a bathtub, only hours before she was due to grace Clive Davis’ legendary pre-Grammy Awards party.

It was eventually discovered that she had tragically passed away from an accidental drowning, which was a result of long-term cocaine use and pre-existing heart problems.

It was subsequently discovered from toxicology tests that Houston had taken cocaine prior to her passing, along with Benadryl, the prescription drug Xanax (a benzodiazepine), marijuana, and Flexeril (a muscle relaxant) in her body at the time of her death.

Or, more concisely:

Toxicology results showed that Houston had cocaine in her system before she died, along with Benadryl, Xanax, marijuana, and Flexeril.

In my own words, I shared with Shepard that concerns regarding the length of my speech, approximately twenty minutes long, emerged shortly following my final revisions.

He clarified that he had been developing this speech, gathering all his ideas, and eventually structured it in this form. Then someone suggested, “CNN might prefer a more concise delivery since they will be inserting commercials.

In my professional opinion, I chose not to deliver a brief eulogy for my former co-star, as I felt it was important to respect the solemnity of the occasion rather than catering to the commercial demands of any particular network like CNN.

He remembered saying something like, “They’ll manage. I don’t mind if they air the ad during my conversation.

It’s uncertain whether CNN, as well as other cable news networks, interrupted his speech with advertisements or aired the complete text of his speech instead.

As he stood before the audience, ready to deliver his speech, Horizon Star remembered the unease he’d felt earlier, fearing that perhaps his talk might stretch too long for some listeners or other speakers.

Originally, it was stated: ‘There were some individuals eager to voice their thoughts, and they seemed to fixate on me with a rather intense gaze. As for what I was going to respond, that’s what I did eventually. I began speaking, and approximately 17 minutes had passed when I finished.’

‘A few folks were really keen to share their thoughts, giving me a rather intense stare. Not knowing exactly what to say, I ended up speaking anyway. About 17 minutes later, I had finished my speech.’

In 1992, Costner collaborated with Houston on the romantic drama “The Bodyguard.” In this film, Houston bolstered her acting credentials by portraying a pop star resembling herself, who faced threats from a deranged admirer.

In a different role, Costner portrayed a former Secret Service agent who took up bodyguard work to safeguard Houston’s character. However, their growing affection for each other could potentially jeopardize his professional responsibilities.

The movie received a mix of positive and negative criticisms, yet it was incredibly well-liked by the audience. In 1992, it ranked as the second highest-earning film, and at that point in time, it held the tenth position among the top-grossing films ever made.

The soundtrack from Houston’s movie was an enormous success, making it the top-selling soundtrack and the highest-selling album by any female artist.

The performance showcased a rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” by Houston, which later became inextricably linked to her.

For fourteen weeks straight, this particular song held the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, setting a new record during that period.

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2025-01-20 02:37

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