Kevin Costner ‘Will Always Be Locked Together’ with Whitney Houston, Whom He Tried to Help through Letters

• Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston had an endearing friendship.
• They had something they had in common that they bonded over.
• Costner and Houston starred alongside each other in a '90s film, forging a connection that would lead him to speak at her funeral.

Kevin Costner has spoken openly about his friendship with Whitney Houston over the years and even delivered a eulogy at her memorial several years ago.

Houston passed away in February 2012, and in February 2014, during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," her co-star Costner revealed how he first learned about her untimely death.

DeGeneres asked the actor where he was when he heard about the singer's passing. He divulged that he was at his son's birthday party when someone approached him to break the news. Costner's friend was videotaping the event, and the star asked him to step outside with him, where he asked him to switch on the camera. Costner further explained:

"I started talking to him about her and then I was done. I was literally done, and I talked for about 10 to 15 minutes."

Costner Delivered a Eulogy at Houston’s Memorial

Costner revealed that Dionne Warwick asked him to speak at Houston's memorial, where he delivered a heartfelt eulogy in her memory. The service was held at the New Hope Baptist Church, setting the stage for the "Yellowstone" alum to reveal something he and Houston had in common:

"We both grew up in the Baptist church."

"The church was the center of our social life and Whitney, and I would laugh knowing it was also the place where we could really get into big trouble," said Costner during his eulogy, adding the church was all they knew. "It was our private bond," he said.

The two-time Academy Award said that he could imagine a young Houston, a "skinny little girl" running around the church and knowing the place inside and out, including its congregants and details about their lives.

According to him, the "I Will Always Love You" hitmaker also got into a lot of mischief as a child and used her "beautiful smile" to get out of trouble. However, her mother was not fooled by her manipulation.

Costner also talked about Houston as an artist, revealing that despite her successful career and being a global superstar, she was still insecure about herself, and she would often ask, "Am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Will they like me?" Costner noted, "It was the burden that made her great."

But he found ways to reassure her that she was more than she believed to be. Costner also stated that Houston "set the bar so high" in the music business that now young girls want to sing like her when they grow up.

The Film That Tied Them Together

At the peak of Houston's singing career, Costner asked her to be his co-star in the 1992 movie, "The Bodyguard," which would be her first acting role. Believing in her ability to bring the character of Rachel Marron to life, Costner said:

"I thought she was the perfect choice."

The Emmy Award winner, who played Frank Farmer in the film, revealed there were some reservations from his colleagues about Houston taking on the project. Some people thought another white singer should play the role, while others suggested an experienced actress would be better.

However, Costner was set on having the music sensation star in the movie and even halted production for a year after learning she would be on tour. In the end, Houston bagged the role after a screen test.

During a May 2012 interview, Costner acknowledged that deciding to wait for Houston to finish her tour was a rare act, but that proved to be a good decision. The film turned out to be groundbreaking for the New Jersey native. It was also well-received in the black community because it showed Costner kissing Houston, not because of the color of her skin but because of her beauty. "That's how I saw her," said the Hollywood film producer.

Costner appeared on "Anderson Live" in June 2012, and broadcaster Anderson Cooper asked him whether he knew Houston was going through some struggles in her life while filming "The Bodyguard." He replied:

"Not that I knew of. No."

The movie star revealed that in previous years, people who adored the songstress asked him to write her a letter, adding that some had asked if he would pen a letter to someone he knew was having trouble.

Costner disclosed that he did write Houston letters on two occasions but stressed that he wanted her to live her own life after the movie even though they remained close:

"She would always be someone I appreciated, and I saw what pretty much what everybody else saw. But when someone else asked me to write a letter, I did. I don't know if those letters were ever read."

The three-time Golden Globe Award winner also appeared in a June 2018 interview on "Good Morning America" and was asked why he believes "The Bodyguard" has stuck with so many people even after over twenty years. He said because people could relate in the sense that everyone wants to be protected, adding:

"The reality is that we have this songbird Whitney who had this big voice that came out of her, and it was her first movie and I thought she was so beautiful, and I thought well this is the girl for me."

Costner added that although not everyone believed that, he did. "And when we were done, it was a really important moment in her life, in her career, and we'll always be locked together that way," said the award-winning movie star.

"The Bodyguard" was 15 years in the making when Costner asked Houston to take part in the film. During his appearance on "The Meredith Vieira Show" in February 2015, he admitted that he did not realize that it was a "brave move" on his part to ask the best-selling artist to star in the movie, adding the actress was "the cutest girl" and that she was one of the most gorgeous females he had ever laid eyes on.