Whitney Houston’s Bodyguard Who Inspired Her Movie With Kevin Costner Speaks Out

David Roberts, a former police officer turned Whitney Houston’s real-life bodyguard, is speaking out about his time with the late icon. Houston died after being found unresponsive in her Beverly Hills hotel in February 2012. Roberts worked with Houston from 1988-1995. But unlike the movie The Bodyguard, which he inspired andstarred Houston and Kevin Costner, their relationship was just platonic. 

Roberts is releasing a memoir, Protecting Whitney, to be published next month. He says that his book is an ode to the singer he knew and loved. But just because their relationship never progressed to anything romantic, Roberts admitted in a recent interview with Daily Mail that he would have ‘give up everything’ to be her man if he had the chance. 

As a close protection officer, I was absolutely focused on keeping her safe. If you cross that line, you lose your objectivity and that makes it dangerous for the person you’re protecting,” he explained. “That was why Frank Farmer [Costner’s character in the film] and Rachel Marron [Houston] couldn’t be together – he crossed the line and that was the end of him in the capacity of what he was employed to do.”

The movie detailed Houston as international icon Rachel Marron as she and her bodyguard try to escape a crazed stalker. Roberts says the roles were similar. “Much of what was contained in the film, she and I actually lived through. Little details such as the character Rachel Marron holding on to the back of his shirt to escape crowds of fans. That was how we did it.”

Roberts, now aged 73, has a prominent scar on his head after defending Houston during a fight between her brother, Michael, and a gang of racist thugs in Kentucky. He took his bodyguard role seriously. 

He first met Houston at The American Embassy in London, when he was asked if he’d look after the singer who would be on the British leg of her Moment Of Truth tour. She kept him on from there. Just as in the film, he dealt with many crazed fans of Houston’s stardom along the way. He says Houston was oblivious to how many threats she received as he kept them at bay.

Roberts blames Houston’s longtime ex-husband, Bobby Brown, for her demise. “There is no doubt in my mind that she and Bobby loved each other but unfortunately, her love was constant while his was variable,” he explained. He detailed several instances of blowup arguments and moments in which he felt Brown tried to sabotage her career due to being jealous.

His work with Houston ended when he crossed the line between professional and personal after detailing her drug use in a letter to her family and business. After she suffered a near-fatal overdose in 1995, he says he couldn’t avoid doing so.

“That was when I took a metaphorical bullet for my principal,” he explained, saying he felt obliged to write down his concerns and send a letter to Houston’s lawyers, saying members of the star’s entourage were supplying her with drugs. He was fired a week later and never saw or spoke to Houston again.