Kevin Costner says a ‘heartbroken’ Dionne Warwick asked him to speak at Whitney Houston’s memorial

Kevin Costner shares why he decided to speak at Whitney Houston’s memorial after turning down several invitations.

Said the actor, who starred alongside Houston within the hit ’90s film “The Bodyguard.” People that he initially decided to mourn the “Exhale” singer privately until he received a call from Houston’s cousin, singer Dionne Warwick. It wasn’t until a grief-stricken Warwick called him that Costner decided to publicly pay tribute to Houston, who died on February 11, 2012 at the age of 48.

“Whitney was definitely worth talking to, but I didn’t immediately want to go out there and run to the mic,” Costner said. “But I got a call from Dionne Warwick and I could tell by her voice that she was devastated. I told her yes, though I had been saying no all week.

“I heard in her voice how tired she was, how many decisions she would probably have to make, who would talk, who wouldn’t talk,” the Oscar winner said in a People cover story. “She says, ‘Kevin, can I ask you?’ and I (just) replied, “Yes.” “

After agreeing to talk, Costner felt cold.

“I believe, ‘Why am I talking? I used to be just her imaginary bodyguard,” he explained, adding that he “promised to protect” Houston while filming “The Bodyguard.”

“I didn’t read the tea leaves correctly and what they meant to other people,” Costner said. The 69-year-old actor said he was struck by the emotion at Houston’s funeral, which was held at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.

“I remember sitting in the pews and I had never been in a church more electrified,” he said. “There were two bands playing…I thought the place was on fire.”

Costner was nervous, but that did not stop him from delivering a beautiful 17-minute eulogy at Houston’s memorial.

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“I remember looking back and seeing Diane Sawyer and Oprah Winfrey… I believe they were sitting together, so I said, ‘Can you give my speech?’ – he reminded. “I actually wanted them to do it. I didn’t want to go upstairs, but I did.

The guest told Costner to keep his speech short because “CNN is covering it,” but he decided to give Houston the tribute she deserved.

“I said, ‘Sorry, I didn’t know CNN was here, but they can take a commercial break,’” he said. “I’ll say what I want to say. I’ve come a long way to talk about this little girl.”