Dolly Parton had more connections to the movie “The Bodyguard” than people knew! Aside from Whitney Houston covering her hit “I Will Always Love You” for the film, Parton had a real-life “Bodyguard” moment with none other than the film’s star Kevin Costner.
In her 2025 “Star of the Show: My Life on Stage” memoir, Parton revealed how her own bodyguard swooped in to protect her from Costner. In the book, Parton recalled that the incident went down in a hotel hallway when she was in town for a conference. “We were walking down a hallway when the door to one of the rooms opened. A guy with scruffy facial hair and blue jeans walked out, took one look at me, and rushed my way!”
Parton claimed that her bodyguard at the time, Byran, sprung into action and “jumped in his path, pushed him up against the wall, and held him there by his chest and his throat.”
That’s when Parton recognized who the man was, and remembered laughing, “Bryan, let him go! That’s Kevin Costner!“
In her memoir, Parton recalled that Bryan didn’t immediately let him off the hook, teasing him about his much-loved role. “You should know better,” Bryan told the actor. “You’re the bodyguard.”
“The Bodyguard” came out in 1992 starring Kevin Costner as tough-guy Frank Farmer to Whitney Houston’s singer and megastar Rachel Marron. In the film, Costner plays a bodyguard protecting Marron from an ominous stalker while the two eventually develop feelings for one another during their time together. The film was a smash success, grossing more than $400 million, and became the second highest-grossing film that year.
Kevin Costner Shares Sweet Words Following Parton’s Passing
GettyAfter Parton passed away on August 25, the actor took to his Instagram to mourn the star. In a touching tribute over a black and white photo of Parton, Costner wrote, “Oh my goodness. Where did you go Dolly? We are all breathless. The feeling of who you are and who you were are so close.”
Costner even made a nod to “The Bodyguard” in his post. “Thank you for trusting me with ‘I Will Always Love You.'” He closed out his sentiments with “We are all at a loss for this moment. Forgive us but we will miss you so much. So much.”
Tributes Pour In for Beloved Dolly Parton
Parton passed away in Nashville at the age of 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. In the following days, tributes have been pouring in from across the entertainment industry and social media remembering the vivacious singer not only for her amazing talent, but her incredible kindness and humanitarian efforts.
So many stars shared tributes and stories about the impact Parton had on their personal and professional lives, including singers Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Blake Shelton, and countless others.
One of the sweetest tributes came from goddaughter Miley Cyrus, who penned a loving note on her Instagram. Under a beautiful black and white picture of Parton, Cyrus reflected on their time together, and their most recent interaction.
“Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts,” she wrote, adding, One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis. 🦋”
