Whitney Houston’s real-life bodyguard, David Roberts, is serving up some piping-hot details about his time protecting the legend herself—and let’s just say, reality didn’t exactly hit the high notes of romance we saw in The Bodyguard.
David, who inspired Kevin Costner’s brooding, turtleneck-wearing character in the film, recently cracked open the vault of memories ahead of his memoir Protecting Whitney. Spoiler alert: no slow-dancing in snowstorms happened IRL.
“Cross the Line, Lose the Job”
Now, before you ask, David confirmed there was zero romantic tension between him and Whitney. Not even a smoldering glance or a dramatic, rain-soaked confession. Why? Because crossing that line is the bodyguard equivalent of microwaving metal—explosive and stupid.
“If you cross that line, you lose your objectivity,” David explained, channeling the energy of every no-nonsense action hero ever. “That was why Frank Farmer and Rachel Marron couldn’t be together—they broke the number one rule: ‘Don’t fall for your client.’”
Life Imitating Art…Sort Of
Even though their relationship didn’t include passionate serenades or boat rescues, there were a few moments that made their way into the film. Take the iconic “grab the back of his shirt to escape screaming fans” move. According to David, that wasn’t Hollywood fiction—it was their Tuesday.
“Much of what was in the film, we actually lived through,” he dished. Although, we’re guessing the soundtrack wasn’t as epic IRL.
First Impressions: Not Love at First Sight
David wasn’t exactly doing cartwheels at the thought of working with Whitney. But the moment he met her, he was smitten—not romantically, of course. “She was gracious, shy, introverted, well-mannered, and easily one of the most beautiful women I had ever met,” he gushed. Basically, Whitney Houston: the person = Whitney Houston: the icon.
The Bodyguard Diaries: Danger Edition
David’s job wasn’t just about looking cool in sunglasses and yelling, “Move, move, move!” He was out there catching metaphorical grenades left and right. “Whitney had no clue how many threats were out there,” he said. “That’s why I was there—to deal with the nonsense so she didn’t have to.”
And deal with it, he did. David even tried to intervene when Whitney was grappling with addiction, going so far as to blow the whistle on her team members supplying her with drugs. His reward? A pink slip. But did he regret it? Not for a second. “I was there to protect her from everyone—including herself.”
No Romance, But All Respect
So, while David Roberts and Whitney Houston didn’t recreate any movie-magic moments, their bond was built on trust, respect, and a shared goal: keeping Whitney safe from the chaos around her. And if that’s not inspiring, what is?
Just don’t expect David to belt out “I Will Always Love You” anytime soon. That’s Whitney’s lane, and no one’s crossing it.
