Kevin Costner nailed the role, no question. And Whitney? Whitney was electric.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw this film – early ‘90s and it was all about the music, the drama, and that undeniable chemistry between them.
To be honest, The Bodyguard was the talk of the town in 1992, and for good reason. Both Kevin and Whitney were at their peak, and it was magical to watch them both at the height of their careers.
But hey, not everyone agreed. Critics might’ve panned it, but honestly, they had no idea what they were talking about. The movie was a cultural moment, a snapshot of that perfect era.
Whitney, in her first movie, was a force to be reckoned with. She shined like a rare diamond, and watching her sing those unforgettable tracks made her untouchable. Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Madonna — they all had their time, but Whitney truly soared to another level of superstardom with this movie. I mean, who could deny that I Will Always Love You became her song?
Now, let’s talk about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff — the goofs, hidden mistakes, and deleted scenes that made the movie even more iconic in a strange, endearing way. You know the type of goofs I mean — the kind that don’t take away from the greatness of the film, but make you say, “Hey, wait a minute!”
17 years from script to screen
The Bodyguard hit theaters on November 25, 1992, but did you know the screenplay was first drafted by Lawrence Kasdan back in 1975?
Back then, Kasdan was imagining Diana Ross and Steve McQueen in the lead roles. Now, that would’ve been a pretty wild version of the movie to see!
The funeral
I don’t know how many people have noticed this, but here’s a goof from The Bodyguard that many might have missed.
When Frank and Rachel are returning from the funeral, there’s a sign on the left side of the windshield that says “FUNERAL.” But just two seconds later, the sign magically appears on the right side.
The dolls on the bed
Here’s another fun blooper that you might’ve missed! When Frank puts Rachel to bed, he moves all the dolls over to one side.
But when she’s lying there, there’s still one doll sitting up next to her. Not exactly a huge deal, but hey, who’s paying attention to dolls when you’re immersed in the movie’s emotional ride and the chemistry between Costner and Whitney.
Factual error
In the movie, there’s a moment during the Oscar scene that just doesn’t quite add up. Rachel Marron (played by Whitney Houston) is announced as the winner of Best Actress, and as she stands to walk to the stage, she’s seated much further back than you’d expect – somewhere around the 20th row. Now, traditionally, nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress sit right at the front of the ceremony, so this seems a little off.
The scene then takes its time as Rachel walks down the aisle, shaking hands with congratulatory guests. But here’s the thing: the camera lingers on her for dramatic effect. It gives the filmmakers plenty of time to focus on the mysterious figure in the crowd, the would-be assassin who’s trying to take a shot at her. This is all about building tension – and we get that – but it’s also a little out of sync with the reality of how the Oscars actually work.
Shooting scene
You probably remember the intense scene when Kevin Costner rushes toward Whitney Houston at the Oscars to save her from a deadly shot, right?
After Frank (Kevin Costner) is shot, he’s wheeled out of the hospital, and if you look closely, you’ll notice something strange: he’s not wearing an oxygen mask, even though he has I.V. fluids running.
Now, you might think this is just a small detail, but it’s actually a pretty glaring factual error. In real life, after a gunshot wound, especially one that causes significant blood loss, the person would absolutely be wearing an oxygen mask to help them breathe and stabilize.
Maybe the filmmakers made a deliberate choice to skip this detail, presumably so viewers could see Costner’s face more clearly in that dramatic moment. It’s one of those goofs that doesn’t ruin the movie – but if you’re watching closely, it’s hard not to notice.
Pink armband
If you take a closer look at the scene where Kevin Costner’s character, Frank, gets shot, you’ll notice something that might slip past you the first time.
Frank is wearing a pink wristband. Now, this may seem like a random detail, but it actually ties into another goof earlier in the movie. When Frank and Rachel enter the Oscars ceremony, there are two shots of pink wristbands being scanned.
In the first shot, you can see a bar code being properly scanned, which makes sense. But in the second shot, only the perforated portion of the wristband is scanned — something that wouldn’t actually register anything.
Dolly Parton wrote the song
I almost forgot that Dolly Parton was the one who wrote and originally performed “I Will Always Love You.” Honestly, I don’t think I’d have guessed that right if it came up in a music quiz. But it’s easy to see why, since Whitney Houston’s iconic cover of the song completely elevated it to classic status.
There’s actually a pretty cool story behind how the song became immortalized. In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Dolly Parton shared that when they first asked to use the song in the movie, she sent it in and then kind of forgot about it.
But one day, while driving from her office to her house in Nashville, she heard Whitney Houston’s version on the radio. Dolly had to pull over to the side of the road to fully listen to it because she was so moved by how beautifully the song was done.
Kevin Costner faced backlash for picking Whitney Houston
Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston created an unbreakable bond between them during the shooting of The Bodyguard.
This was Whitney Houston’s first movie role, and Kevin Costner, who was also one of the producers, fought to have her cast.
“I didn’t realize in Bodyguard when I wanted Whitney to play that that was such a brave move,” Costner said. “It didn’t seem to me to be a brave move at all. I thought she was the cutest girl I’ve ever seen.”
For Costner, it was a special film for many reasons.
He received backlash for picking Whitney Houston for the film; the cynical studio thought there was something strange about an African-American woman being romantically involved with his character of Frank Farmer.
“It just seemed like she was the best person,” he explained. “It didn’t feel like I was trying to cross ground. I couldn’t imagine anybody that didn’t want to kiss her.”
That last kiss
The Bodyguard was released in 1992. It became an international success and the second-highest-grossing film of the year globally, even though the critics wasn’t so impressed.
However, it became the 10th highest-grossing film of all time at the time.
“I don’t know what it is about that movie,” Costner told Beach Palm Post.
“Maybe it was the relationship, which was a very real one as written by Lawrence Kasdan. Maybe it was that (his bodyguard character) was not into her bulls. She was a diva, and as he tells her, ‘I’m here to keep you alive, not help you shop.’ And there’s some good man/woman stuff in there, that’s really pretty healthy. The idea that someone is willing to protect you is something very special that we all want to know in our lives.”
“And maybe it’s that last kiss,” Costner says.
Yes, the last kiss. The legendary ending of the movie where Costner and Houston kiss at the airport, while her iconic version if I Will Always Love You plays in the background. It was a tearjerking and wonderful moment, which also changed Whitney Houston’s career.
Several love scenes were cut
Ah, we all remember that famous kiss between Whitney and Kevin at the end, right? But did you know that there were actually hotter scenes that got left on the cutting room floor?
Yep, Costner and Houston filmed a few extra love scenes, but they didn’t make the final cut. One even showed Frank undressing Rachel after he carried her out of the club – definitely not your average movie moment.
But here’s the kicker: Whitney wasn’t having any of that. She wasn’t about to strip down for the cameras. In a 1992 interview with Vanity Fair, she put it pretty clearly: ”They aren’t going to tell me to take my clothes off. I’m not hired to show my ass. I don’t think it’s my greatest asset.” Now that’s confidence!
One person died on set
Unfortunately, accidents are an unfortunate reality during movie productions, but what happened on the set of The Bodyguard was truly tragic and should never have occurred.
On January 3, 1992, during the filming of a scene in downtown Los Angeles, a grip truck driver named William Vitagliano was caught between two lighting equipment cranes that collided. The accident was devastating, and Vitagliano tragically passed away shortly after being rushed to the hospital.
This incident deeply affected everyone involved in the film. Warner Bros. conducted an investigation into the accident, and a lawsuit filed against the equipment manufacturers was eventually settled for an undisclosed amount in 1994. T
It’s not Whitney on the poster
For those who remember the Bodyguard poster (maybe you even had it on your wall back in the day?), it’s a pretty dramatic image designed to grab the attention of moviegoers. It shows Kevin Costner’s bodyguard carrying Whitney Houston’s character Rachel out of a club, after she’s been mobbed by an overzealous crowd.
But, did you know the poster stirred up some controversy? Some people thought the studio was intentionally hiding Houston’s face to downplay the interracial romance at the heart of the film. Houston quickly shut that down in a 1993 interview with Rolling Stone, saying, ”I mean, people know who Whitney Houston is — I’m black. You can’t hide that fact.”
Costner, however, revealed that the studio actually wanted more of Houston showing, as she was a huge draw. The shot where her head is buried in his shoulder was actually his idea. He told Entertainment Weekly, “I picked that picture out because my friend Ben Glass took it… it was so evocative.” And here’s a little secret: ”That wasn’t even Whitney, actually. She had gone home, and that was her double.” Talk about movie magic!
