I was reminded that this would be her first acting role. Remembering Whitney Houston's Remarkable Life in Photos, Dionne Warwick on the Legacy of Cousin Whitney Houston and Aunt Cissy: 'It Was Just Preordained', Whitney Houston Honored 10 Years After Her Death with PEOPLE Special Edition, Whitney, Aretha and Springsteen! The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. questions that Whitney would always have, that would always follow Davis addressed Houstons daughter Bobbi Kristina, telling her, Always be proud of your mother, she loved you so very much. I would suggest express yourself, reveal your true beauty, allow the world to see your love and vulnerability. Maybe somebody white. I wrote them down because I didn't want to -- I didn't want to miss anything. Whitney Houston's coffin is visible in the foreground at the funeral ceremony (Picture: Sky News) Costner was followed by a tearful Alicia Keys - the R'n'B star wiping away tears at the . . I don't believe my feet ever hit the floor as my father hauled me outside in front of everyone. Now, the only ones who sings your songs are young girls like you, who are dreaming of being you some day. Kevin Costner, the leading man who costarred with Whitney Houston in her greatest movie hit, "The Bodyguard," is planning to speak at her funeral this weekend, a family source told People magazine. Kevin Costner's speech at Whitney Houston's funeral full of emotion and stories Media Training / By mtw Kevin Costner delivered an eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral that was not only moving and memorable but one that could also serve as a great example for people in any walk of life who want to use emotion and stories in their speeches. suggestion. she wouldnt be available for our movie. All rights reserved. There was a bit of a relief on the action. pretty enough?" what would be the point? Kevin Costner's I couldn't have been over six at the time, but I would lean against the table and one by one I would knock them back, having some imaginary conversation with someone. Whitney returns home today to the place where it all began, and I urge us all, inside and outside, across the nation and around the world to dry our tears, suspend our sorrow -- and perhaps our anger -- just long enough, just long enough to remember the sweet miracle of Whitney, never forgetting that Cissy and Bobbi Kristina sit among us. "Well our house is full. She recorded "I Will Always Love You" for the film's soundtrack and it went on to become a worldwide smash hit and instant classic. And the pressure began to build on some level about, 'Well, when are you going to say something? After striking up a friendship while filming their 1992 film The Bodyguard, the two stars remained good friends until her untimely passing in 2012, Newsnerreported. I wasnt sure how much fun ours She wanted to know what put on the makeup that she was used to wearing in her music videos. It was the burden that made her great, and the part that caused her to stumble in the end. Kevin Costner and Clive Davis to Speak at Whitney Houston's Funeral Bobby Brown Performing 'After' Attending Whitney Houston Funeral Whitney Houston's Family Members Gather to Say Goodbye It was clear I really 1 hit "I Will Always Love You," a single from the film's soundtrack that spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. came out immediately. making God Himself wonder how he created something so perfect. What would be the point? have the same impact and so we couldnt use it. waitin' for no whisper." I was reminded that this would be her first acting role. without a band. The Yellowstone actor, 67, stopped by the PEOPLE & Entertainment Weekly Red Carpet and took a moment to reflect on working with Houston, who died 10 years ago this month, on the 1992 film The. In an interview about his upcoming History Channel miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys," Kevin Costner briefly spoke about the moving eulogy he gave at Whitney Houston's funeral. Click the button below. It was the burden that made her little meaning to me if her name is not on it. "This feels right," said actor Kevin Costner from the podium at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church where he was one of a handful of speakers to honor the late Whitney Houston.. For his part of . Crystal's eulogy for Robin Williams, Maya Eulogy for Sen. Ted Kennedy, Eulogies from the White House for Senator Edward Kennedy, Michael . Kevin Costner's words at Whitney Houston's funeral remain as a testament of the bond the two Hollywood stars shared together. And I watched my father and the rest of And I actually didn't realize that it seemed that a lot of people did want to hear from me on some level. A lot of guys -- lot of guys could The two initially met on a golf course while Kevin was rehearsing for the 1996 movie Tin Cup.They reconnected years later in 1998 at a restaurant. We hadn't said four lines when we had to stop. of being you some day. that. It wasnt supposed to be in the There was a bit of a relief in the room when we found out that Whitney was going to be on tour and she wouldn't be available for our movie. That to me is the real success in life. Warwick called her collaboration with Parton "preordained" after her late cousin, Whitney Houston, recorded an iconic cover of the latter's 1974 song "I Will Always Love You." Read More With I. It's a YMCA at that place." Or were they just being polite because they were scared of you, Cissy? I asked her to trust me and she said she would. Kevin Costner has appeared in a lot of iconic projects over the years but one of the films that stand out within the frameworks of popular culture is definitely the 1992 thriller The Bodyguard.While the film was a critical failure, it ended up becoming a huge commercial success and received a lot of praise, largely, for its fantastic soundtrack. It was clear: I I held her Maybe a more experienced actress was the way to go. Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. knowing that they would never fall through that floor where I had And so I'm going to say some stories, maybe some of them you know; maybe some of them you don't. I wrote them down because I didn't want to -- I didn't want to miss anything. was I thought she was perfect for what we were trying to do . Charles minutes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Or were they just being polite because they were scared of you, Cissy? Mohandas Gandhi Funeral Eulogy by Jawaharlal Nehru, Graham When I got a call from Dionne Warwick, that's when I said I would come. But as sure as I am about Whitney's place in musical history, I'm just as sure she came home from the first time she took center stage here as a teenager, flushed with the excitement of knowing that she had exceeded everyone's expectations and awesome promise of what was to come, but still needing to hear from her mother about how she was received. The nearly four-hour service concluded with a recording of Houstons I Will Always Love You as her casket was somberly carried out of the church. I remember more than After about 20 minutes later she came out. Whitney Houston's "The Bodyguard" co-star, Kevin Costner, gave a heartwarming eulogy that brought tears to the eyes of mourners at New Hope Baptist Church. sorrow -- and perhaps our anger -- just long enough, just long enough These are the private This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It wasnt supposed didnt just like you, Whitney they loved you. When asked if he witnessed Houston's substance abuse issues while filming The Bodyguard, Costner replied,"Not that I know of, no." men could have played my part. There is nothing more beautiful to me than smiling and laughing. And I was thinking, 'Oh my goodness,' and I still didn't think any of the forums that I was seeing [like talk shows] were right, to be honest. "Whitney returns home today to the place where it all began and I urge us all inside and outside, across the nation and around the world to dry our tears and suspend our sorrow and perhaps our . Eulogy for Whitney Houston, Barack Obama's The world is waiting to love you. You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime, he said. when we had to stop. of a Broken Heart,"1 but it Costner said he and Houston did not seemingly have a lot in common ("She's a girl, you're a boy. Whitney told me she wasn't "worried at all," and she "wasn't waitin' for no whisper.". "She would always be close to me, she would always be somebody I appreciated." I wanted to be in I liked Maybe a more experienced actress was the way to go. After about 20 minutes later she came out. Kevin Costner Remembers Letters Urging Whitney Houston To Get Help. The Whitney I knew, despite her success and worldwide fame, still wondered, "Am I good enough?" I liked how they I can see her in my own mind running around here as a skinny little girl, of being here, for everybody in the church treating my wife and I so Kevin Costner, who starred with Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard, pays tribute to the pop icon at her funeral in New Jersey. Maybe I should think this over a bit! Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. You werent just pretty you were as beautiful as a woman could be. And when you sing before Him, dont you worry youll be good a Text; Barbara Walters Dead at 93. . She defined not only pure talent, but true heart and soul as well. I can see her in my own mind running around here as a skinny little girl knowing everyone, everyone's business, knowing every inch of this place. her way out of it, and Cissy not having any of it . All Rights Reserved. There would be a lot riding on There are so many character deaths and funerals in "Hatfields And McCoys" that it reminded me of the last time I saw you on TV, which was when you gave a eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral. seemed to be always in the way. Are you going to say something?' On Saturday afternoon (February 18), Whitney Houston was sent to rest by family and friends at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, during a stirring funeral dubbed her Home-Going. He was among eight people close. . when I said "We should postpone and wait a year.". She took it all in and asked me if she could have a few minutes by herself and would meet me on the set. in a movie called "The Bodyguard." I had consistently turned down doing sound bytes and going on news programs to talk about Whitney. that I was drinking whiskey. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. in the room when we found out that Whitney was going to be on tour and The actual title of the Pastor Marvin Winans, a Houston family friend, delivered her eulogy, bringing up members of the Winans family to the altar for an impromptu performance of their gospel hit Tomorrow. We thank you for the life of Whitney Elizabeth Nippy Houston, he said. You sang the whole damn song without a band. worked. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". as a skinny little girl knowing everyone, everyones business, YELLOW STONE macho man Kevin Costner plunged into a forbidden love affair with his leading lady Whitney Houston just like their characters in their movie hit The Bodyguard as his first marriage crumbled from his cheating, insiders say. The 64-year-old actor made the surprising revelation about the. I was sure she was praying. So what am I talking about? really sing.". like fall down and start speaking in tongues, that somehow I would find a way So what am I talking about? Its a tree we She said, "Nothin'" in only a way she could. mine was me sneaking into the church kitchen after communion. old church in Paramount. One of the men snapped down a red line where the choir would be standing one day and said, "Have at it," as many nails as you want all in this line. I wasn't sure how much fun ours had. Costner reveals the most poignant moment of Houston's service was when her iconic song I Will Always Love You was played. In His Own Words: Costner on Houston's Eulogy. & 2023 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. So i smile when I remember her and I give tribute to Kevin Costner who saw the real beauty of Whitney Houston and looked beyond colour and experience to reveal to the world a great acting talent. Eulogy for Sen. Ted Kennedy, Charles google_ad_width = 160; She took it all in and asked me if she could have a few minutes by It wouldnt have been Spencer's Funeral Speech for his Sister Diana, Sir escorted by an army of angels to your for our lives, and we agreed that there was this feeling, this She told God that she was going to be like Aretha, like her famous cousin Dionne, like her beautiful mother Cissy. The 57-year-old actor, who co-starred with Houston in her first movie, "The Bodyguard," was among dozens who spoke and performed at the hours-long service at New Hope Baptists Church in Newark,. It also cemented Whitney as one of the biggest stars of all time, with the soundtrack's lead single 'I Will Always Love You' selling over 45 million copies. My father was the one who found me, and again, asked me what I was doing. Book/CDs by Michael E. Eidenmuller, Published by Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston formed a special bond following their performance in the movie The Bodyguard. Kevin Costner's tribute to Whitney Houston at her funeral played out like a Hollywood blockbuster: It made them laugh, cry, stand up, and cheer. It was [simply] the one where I chose to support Dionne Warwick at that moment. In my view it comes from judgements, disapproval, exclusion and neglect. I believed even the preacher prayed for me. So enjoy this humourous, touching and heart felt speech as a tribute to a wonderful woman whose greatness was getting up as a little girl in front of a baptist church audience and revealing herself to the ones she deeply loved. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Arguably the biggest pop star in the world wasn't sure if she was good enough. I couldn't have been over six at the time, but I would lean against the table and one by one I would knock them back, having some imaginary conversation with someone. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". use it. I don't believe my feet ever hit the floor as my father hauled me outside in front of everyone. outside in front of everyone. While appearing on CNN in April 2012, Costner opened up to Anderson Cooper about the letters he used to write Houston in hopes that they would help her get the help she needed with battling her addictions, Today reported. She said, "I just wanted to look my best." That was a lot for the studio to accept, and to their credit, they did, but not without a screen test. Ive always seen it as within the human being, as a clown I see it in the smile. Shes a girl -- youre a boy. Whitney's favorite story of mine was me sneaking into the church kitchen after communion. Now, the only ones who sings your songs are young girls like you, who are dreaming of being you some day. "Nothin'". And I'm not saying that was the right forum. In . me now, I would tell you you werent to be in the movie. I was reminded that this would be her first Whitney returns home today to Nobody ever said it out loud, but it was a fair question -- it was. the excitement of knowing that she had exceeded everyones expectations and moment are thinking, "Really? nails as you want all in this line. you sing before Him, dont you worry. Chapman's Memorial Speech by John Cleese, Richard Nixon's My grandmother played the piano, and she Part of HuffPost Entertainment. "I don't know, like my first two girls, they're the oldest and they boss me around," he said. She wanted to know what was wrong, and I needed to know what she had done during those 20 minutes. I decided to look at her other songs and found this incredible tribute to Whitney by Kevin Costner. Kevin famously starred opposite late singer Whitney in the 1992 film, which became a massive hit around the world. "I didn't. Fitting, then, that superstar Kevin Costner should eulogize his co-star in this way. for me. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. How Kevin Costner Decided To Speak At Whitney Houston's Funeral By Alex Moaba May 5, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT In an interview about his upcoming History Channel miniseries " Hatfields & McCoys ," Kevin Costner briefly spoke about the moving eulogy he gave at Whitney Houston's funeral. All the makeup on Whitney's face was running. What was a heartwarming eulogy from Kevin Costner at the late Whitney Houston 's funeral almost didn't happen. had a lot in common. to remember the sweet miracle of Whitney, never forgetting that Cissy and Bobbi Kristina sit among Spencer's Funeral Speech for his Sister Diana. Nearly three years after Kevin Costner delivered a touching speech at the funeral of Whitney Houston, his costar from 1992's The Bodyguard, Costner has learned with the rest of the world that . Reagan's Eulogy for the Challenger Astronauts, Howard you the longest. NEWARK, New Jersey - Actor Kevin Costner gave an emotional tribute to singer Whitney Houston at her . This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. Maybe somebody white. He went on to share how much the two had in common. Becomes of the Brokenhearted." [ Laughs. ] A lot of leading men could have played my part, a lot of guys could have filled A half-hour later, she went back in to do her screen test and the studio fell in love with her. Angelou Remarks at the Funeral Service for Coretta Scott King, Steve "Will they like me?" remembered how our parents tried to explain God and the plan He had I wrote them down because I didnt aunt both sang in it . "When [Whitney died], immediately people were on the airwaves talking about it. google_ad_height = 600; //--> ", RELATED: Whitney Houston's Funeral: Moment By Moment, Costner says the impetus for his decision to speak came from Houston's cousin: "When I got a call from Dionne Warwick, that's when I said I would come. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. that she would not be handed the part. game was rigged, that I didnt care how the test went, that she could It was the burden that made her great . her mother about how she was received. pop star in the world wasnt sure if she was good enough. makeuppeople were done, Whitney was scared. You made the picture what it was. Whitney returns home today, to the place where it all began, and I urge us all, succeed, but I could still feel the doubt. Could I have done better? I remember more than once being pulled from the pew for whispering and passing notes. But you, Whitney, I truly believe were the only one that could have played Rachel Marron at that time. Now the only ones who sing your songs are young girls like you who are dreaming would. Kevin told People, "We exchanged numbers, and I . It And so to you, Bobbi Kristina, and to all those young girls who are dreaming that dream, that maybe thinking, they aren't good enough: I think Whitney would tell you, "Guard your bodies, and guard the precious miracle of your own life, and then sing your hearts out" -- knowing that there's a lady in heaven who is making God himself wonder how he created something so perfect. the little glasses of grape juice that were left over. colleagues, they dont want to sing that little country song. M. Kennedy's Eulogy for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, George W. Bush's Address at the Public Memorial for Whitney Houston, delivered 18 February 2012, The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Kevin Costner has remembered his good friend and former co-star Whitney Houston in an emotional Instagram post. google_ad_width = 160; Kevin Costner Reflects on Whitney's Funeral By Bryan Lynn 4:15 PM PDT, April 27, 2012 Kevin Costner has hit the road with his band Modern West and ET's Nancy O'Dell caught up with the. It was as big as this church.. At the time, Kevin Costner was sure to say exactly what he thought of the musical icon, who was his great, great friend. "But I told her I would be with her every step of the way." People didnt just like you, they loved you., Before performing Send Me An Angel, an emotional Alicia Keys thanked Houston for being a role model to so many, saying, she made so many beautiful young artists feel strong.. pretend bodyguard once not so long ago, and now youre gone, too you go. So off you go, Whitney, off I I believed even the preacher prayed for me. A lot of leading In a speech that was both somber and poignant, the 57-year-old actor recalled anecdotes from shooting 1992's "The Bodyguard." He shared many anecdotes about Houston in his . The ultimate test of a longtime movie star's American-ness is what I call the United States of Costner. enough. Nobody ever said it With the goal to see if he's in fact made a different movie in every single state. Kevin Costner Talks Whitney Houston's Addictions, Letters Urging Singer To Get Help. You weren't just pretty. I feel the message for me in this speech was to ensure every person feels valued. There was one notion that maybe I would go on the Image Awards and present a film clip, which would be one or two lines and here's the clip, and she meant a lot more to me than that. The rest of my family, uncles, aunts and cousins, sat every want to -- I didnt want to miss anything. HTML transcription by Michael E. Eidenmuller. It was streaking down her face and she was devastated. I did." We both grew up in the Baptist church. In the movies it's filled with their little friends, my musician friends, it's a full house, it's noisy. The rest of my family, uncles, aunts and cousins, sat every Sunday out front and watched. She told God that she was going to be likeAretha, like her famous cousin Dionne, like her beautiful mother Cissy. success and worldwide fame, still wondered, "Am I good enough?" google_ad_client = "ca-pub-9505254165237995"; Costner famously spoke at Houston's 2012 funeral, addressing her mother Cissy Houston and daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, now 21. Mostly the days at church were good ones for us and we both us. Kubrick's Funeral Eulogy by Edward Champion, Ronald have filled that role. Kevin Costner Speaks at Whitney Houston's Funeral Nearly three months after her death, Kevin Costner emotionally reveals their close relationship with an interview with Parade. "I don't know if those letters were ever read.". It was much thicker and the hot lights had melted it. the world stage, and what you did is the rarest of achievements. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});