As Kevin Costner celebrates his 70th birthday, he reflects on his former Bodyguard co-star, Whitney Houston.
On January 18, Costner marked the occasion by sharing a heartfelt photo on his Instagram Stories. The image, originating from Houston’s official account managed by her estate, featured the two on the set of their 1992 film, The Bodyguard.
“This photo reminds me of how lucky I am to be getting another birthday,” Costner wrote. “We lost such a light when we lost Whitney.”
Houston, who passed away at the age of 48 on February 11, 2012, would have turned 61 this year.
The shared photo also included hairstylist Ellin LaVar, who worked with Houston on the film. The caption read, “Happy birthday to Kevin Costner! A behind-the-scenes photo from The Bodyguard with Kevin, Whitney, and Ellin LaVar, Whitney’s hairstylist for the film.”
Costner has frequently reflected on Houston’s legacy. In June 2024, he recounted his experience delivering her eulogy at her 2012 funeral. He shared that he resisted pressure to shorten his 17-minute speech to accommodate commercial breaks during the live broadcast.
“I had been working on this speech… and I tried to compile everything I wanted to say, finally crafting it,” Costner recalled.
“Someone told me, ‘CNN’s here, and they’d appreciate it if your remarks were kept shorter so they can air commercials.’ I said, ‘They can get over that. They can run the commercials while I’m talking; I don’t care.’”
Reflecting on the moment, Costner continued, “I could feel the weight on her, and now it had shifted to me. What was I going to say about this little girl? I went back to that church in Newark, and it was packed. The atmosphere was electric—two bands playing, the church alive. It was like, boom!”
Costner’s enduring respect for Houston and her remarkable legacy remains evident as he continues to honor her memory.