Kevin Costner Says Whitney Houston Beat Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts for ‘The Bodyguard’ Because She Could Sing | Video

Kevin Costner can’t imagine doing “The Bodyguard” with anyone other than Whitney Houston.

Reflecting on his experience starring in and producing the 1992 romantic drama, the “Horizons” actor and filmmaker told Howard Stern Tuesday that Houston beat out the likes of Michelle Pfeiffer and Julia Roberts because she’s the one that could sing.

“It could’ve been Michelle Pfeiffer, it could’ve been Julia Roberts, it could’ve been anybody, but when I looked at it I thought, ‘No, it should be Whitney Houston,’” the “Yellowstone” star said on Stern’s SiriusXM show of the Grammy winner, who had at that point never acted in a film. “For me, it was so easy to go, ‘Well this is the most beautiful girl, this is the one who can sing. This is the girl.’”

Costner handpicked Houston and director Mick Jackson to lead the project. He took pride in guiding a young Houston on her first Hollywood set. 

“I said, ‘If you’re uncertain about things, Whitney, just look at me and tell me and we will drift off into the corner and I’ll make this right for you,’” Costner said of his relationship with the musician on set.

People were shocked by his decision to cast a green newcomer in the starring role in the film over Hollywood superstars, but Costner did not think it was “that big of a deal.”

The studio wanted to go another way, putting forward stars with “better acting chops.” 

“I like to think that that’s what it was,” Costner said of the studio’s reasons for not wanting to cast the young, Black rising star in an interview with CBS Sunday Mornings. “I didn’t see it as a risk at all.” 

“What I saw was that Whitney was the one,” he said. “I didn’t think that was that brave. I think backing off of that would have been cowardly.”

It was also Costner’s idea for Houston to start off her iconic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” a cappella. He thought it would help signify the love her character had for him and her bravery in admitting that. 

Costner gave a 17-minute eulogy at the star’s funeral in 2012, broadcasted nationally. He said that there was a five-day period where he regretted accepting the offer, but ultimately he was glad he did it to honor her legacy.

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