Kevin Costner's eulogy at Whitney Houston's 2012 public memorial was praised by her cousin, Dionne Warwick, after the "Yellowstone" star paid tribute to the late superstar's mentor, Clive Davis, last weekend.
The 68-year-old actor, who co-starred with Houston in the classic 1992 romantic thriller "The Bodyguard," delivered a speech at Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala on Saturday night ahead of the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
The 82-year-old singer told Fox News Digital that while she was unable to attend the gala since she was in Nashville working on her new duet with Dolly Parton, she expressed her admiration for Costner as she recalled his moving words at Houston's funeral.
"I do know that Kevin spoke beautifully at her transitional," the "I Say A Little Prayer" hitmaker remembered.
She continued, "In fact, when I called him and asked him to speak at her funeral, he asked me, 'I don't know what I'm going to say. I don't know what I'm going to say.'"
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"I said, ‘Well, just speak from your heart.' And I'm certain that's what he did at the event as well."
"He truly cared about her," Warwick added. "And I'm certain that came across during his talk. And I hope so."
Houston died on Feb. 11, 2012, at the age of 48 after accidentally drowning in a tub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Heart disease and cocaine use were later determined to be contributing factors. Her death occurred just hours before Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala, which was taking place at the Beverly Hilton. Though there was debate over whether to cancel the gala, it went on as scheduled with Davis dedicating the event to Houston.
Davis discovered Houston when she was 19 and became a father figure to the singer as he guided her career. The two remained close for over three decades. At this year's iteration of the event, Costner honored the trailblazing record producer's impact on Houston's life.
"I want to say something that I've never said to you before," Costner said during his speech. "Maybe this isn't the room for it, but I don't want to miss the moment. And this is from the heart."
He continued, "Neither one of us, in the end, could protect your beloved Whitney, but your fingerprints on her life are clean, my friend. You were a miracle in her life."
"Thank you for being her bodyguard, Clive, and for every person in this room who you have stood behind and stood for," Costner added. "Everyone in this business has a mom, but not everyone gets a Clive."
Costner’s speech kicked off the annual event where the actor told the crowd that the night’s host "threw his soul into a song that he was unsure of at first" and "single-handedly drove the song that helped turn" the movie "The Bodyguard" into such a success.
Costner continued, "When some of us met Clive, it altered our lives for the better, and in some cases forever. I don't see Clive as just a man of his time, but maybe more importantly, a man who changed the times he lived in. And he did it by listening, he did it by believing in himself. ... What he believed in most was a special gift that his artists were blessed with. The only thing better than being one of his artists was maybe being his friend."
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"I Will Always Love You" was a huge hit in 1994 and earned Houston a Grammy for record of the year.
The 2023 Pre-Grammy Gala hosted an evening full of Hollywood stars, including a performance by Lizzo and Jennifer Hudson performing Houston’s "The Greatest Love of All."
Costner was among the eight speakers at Houston's funeral in February 2012, a list that also included Davis and Warwick. In his emotional and widely praised eulogy, he recalled that "I Will Always Love You" was not originally meant to be in "The Bodyguard" as the first choice was "What Becomes of a Broken Heart."
"So, what becomes of our broken hearts?" he asked. "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."
Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash contributed to this report.
