We will always love Whitney Houston as Rachel Marron from 1992's The Bodyguard, but did you know a sequel was considered?
Kevin Costner would have reprised his role as devoted man-shield Frank Farmer but would have a different co-star.
The 64-year-old actor revealed in a recent edition of PeopleTV's "Couch Surfing" program that the late Princess Diana was interested in playing a role similar to that of Houston's in a Bodyguard sequel.
"The studio liked the idea of doing a ′Bodyguard 2′ [with Diana] in the same kind of capacity as Whitney [Houston]. Nobody really knew that for about a year."
Although Princess Di agreed to Costner writing her into the movie, the royal had misgivings about one thing if she were to take on what would have been her first acting role.
Prince William and Prince Harry's mother expressed she was nervous about a kissing scene.
Costner recalled a phone conversation he had with the former Princess of Wales about her concern.
"I just remember her being incredibly sweet on the phone, and she asked the question, she goes, 'Are we going to have like a kissing scene?' She said it in a very respectful way."
"She was nervous because her life was very governed. And I said, 'Yeah, there's going to be a little bit of that, but we can make that okay too.' "
According to PEOPLE, Sarah Ferguson – a.k.a. "Fergie" – was responsible in facilitating their connection.
"Sarah was really important. I always respect Sarah because she's the one that set up the conversation between me and Diana. She was the one that set it up, and she never said, 'Well, what about me? I'm a princess too.' She was just so supportive of the idea."
Sadly, the film would never come to fruition after tragedy struck and left the world in mourning.
Costner said he received the script for The Bodyguard 2 a day before Princess Di was killed in the fateful car crash in a road tunnel in Paris on August 31, 1997.
She was 36.
The Dances With Wolves actor confirmed rumors of a sequel to The Bodyguard with Anderson Cooper in 2012.
"Diana and I had been talking about doing Bodyguard 2. I told her I would take care of her just the same way that I took care of Whitney," he told Cooper on his daytime talk show, Anderson.
"She wanted me to write it for her. I said 'I'll tailor it for you if you're interested.' She goes: 'I am interested.'"
The story would have centered on Frank Farmer being hired to protect Diana's character from the paparazzi and stalkers.
The "People's Princess" died in a hospital after sustaining injuries from the horrific accident, and the media blamed her death on the paparazzi that relentlessly chased the Mercedes S280 in which she was riding as a passenger.
But the French judicial investigation in 1999 ruled that the driver, Henri Paul, was responsible after losing control of the speeding vehicle while driving under the influence.
He and Diana's companion Dodi Fayed were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth passenger, bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, survived.
The Bodyguard marked Houston's acting debut and generated $411 million worldwide and became the second highest-grossing hit at the box office in 1992.
In the same year the movie spawned a legendary soundtrack with some of the late singer's most memorable hits – including "I'm Every Woman" and the Dolly Parton penned "I Will Always Love you," the latter of which Houston began singing a cappella at the suggestion of Costner to elevate Rachel's romantic feelings towards his character.
A sequel with the late royal would have been interesting to watch, especially after the original's success was largely due to Houston's star-making turn.
Would audiences have flocked to see a sequel without the pop diva? Would Costner and the late Princess Di have shared an intimate moment on-screen?
File these under "we'll never know."
You can get the original film here as part of a Kevin Costner 4 film set including The Bodyguard: Special Edition, Rumor Has It, Tin Cup, and Upside of Anger.
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@elleuk/Instagram
