Kevin Coster has revealed he was convinced to speak at Whitney Houston ’s memorial after an emotional call from music legend Dionne Warwick . The 69-year-old Yellowstone star became close with the “I Will Always Love You” singer when he played her love interest in the 1992 hit movie The Bodyguard . They remained close friends for 20 years until Houston’s death, aged 48, in 2012.
Costner was one of eight speakers at her funeral, which took place that year. Others included her sister-in-law and manager Patricia Houston and Warwick. Costner had initially opted to grieve Houston privately but was unable to refuse Warwick’s request to be part of the public tributes for the singer.
Speaking to People , the actor said it wasn’t his “first instinct” to “rush to the mic” after Houston died. However, when Warwick called, the actor said he could “tell in her voice she was broken”. “I said yes to her when I had been saying no all week,” he said.
“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...
I [just] said, ‘Yes.’” However, after hanging up the phone, Costner immediately began to have doubts about the commitment. “I’m thinking, ‘Why am I speaking? I just was her imaginary bodyguard,’” he said.
Even on the day of Houston’s memorial, which was held at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, the actor was still having second thoughts and attempted t.