Kevin Costner says he rejected idea of ​​shortening eulogy at Whitney Houston’s funeral so CNN could air commercials

Zoulerah NORDDINE / AFP / Getty Images / Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

Kevin Costner remembers his death The bodyguard co-star Whitney Houston and recalled that he refused to shorten his eulogy at her funeral.

The actor recalled someone suggesting he tighten up his remarks toward the late Houston while CNN was broadcasting the funeral live.

“I had been working on this speech…and I tried to compile everything I wanted to do and I finally wrote this speech,” Costner said on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast. “Someone said, ‘CNN is here, they wouldn’t mind if your remarks were shorter because they’re going to have commercials.’ And I said, “They can get over it. They can run the ad while I’m talking, I don’t care.

Costner was initially hesitant to speak at Houston’s funeral, but Dionne Warwick encouraged him to do so.

“I could feel the weight on her, now it’s transferred to me,” Costner said. “What am I going to say about this little girl? (I) went back to this church in Newark and it was full. It was electric. There were two bands playing, the church was alive. It was like, boom! »

Costner also explained how the director of Bodyguard Mick Jackson was “uncomfortable” casting Houston in the lead role, but the actor fought for her.

“I really knew who I wanted,” Costner said. “There was a moment when she trusted me. And as I looked at her and… I started guiding her, and I wasn’t trying to impersonate my manager, but I had made a promise to him that I wouldn’t fuck him. And (to) the film.

He continued: “I promised Whitney she would be good at this. And that was my promise. She will always love me in the song and I was always going to keep my promise.