Princess Diana's 'response' to Kevin Costner wanting her to star in Hollywood film
She was approached for a sequel to The BodyguardKevin Costner reportedly had dreams of making Princess Diana a movie star, a new royal book has claimed.
According to one of Diana’s former butlers, the actor and filmmaker had plans for a sequel to The Bodyguard, with the Princess of Wales playing a leading role.
The Bodyguard II claims
The claim has surfaced in former royal butler Paul Burrell’s latest memoir, The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana, excerpted by the Daily Mail.
She was approached to appear in The Bodyguard II alongside Kevin Costner.
The book claims that following the success of the 1992 blockbuster, The Bodyguard, in which Kevin Costner starred alongside Whitney Houston, the actor was keen for a sequel.
In his reported proposed follow-up, his bodyguard character would be tasked with protecting a princess harassed by the press.
‘But I can’t sing! What would I be expected to do?’
Dreaming of casting Princess Diana in this role, Kevin reportedly approached Sarah Ferguson, who then connected him with her former sister-in-law.
“She was approached to appear in The Bodyguard II alongside Kevin Costner,” Paul reportedly recalls. “I put the call from Mr. Costner through to her in the sitting room and heard fits of giggles with her saying, ‘But I can’t sing! What would I be expected to do? I’m not sure but yes, OK, send it and I promise I will have a look.'”
The butler claims that Diana was flattered, but nevertheless confused, by Kevin’s proposal. She apparently told Paul: “He can’t be serious.”
He says that Kevin did indeed send over the The Bodyguard II script, but has no idea whether Diana got round to reading it. In the end, the princess apparently turned down the offer, concluding that the project was “entirely impossible”.
Kevin Costner confirms Princess Diana story
Kevin himself confirmed the story, however he seems to recall Diana’s reaction pretty differently from Paul.
Look, I’m gonna do Bodyguard II and I think I can build this around you.
In an appearance on The Howard Stern Show last year, he recounted: “I started talking to her [Diana] through Sarah, and I said, ‘Look, I’m gonna do Bodyguard II and I think I can build this around you, would you be interested?'”
“And she goes, ‘Yes. My life’s about to change,'” he claimed.
“She was so sweet about this,” he went on. “I said, ‘I’m going to send you this movie and I’m going to make it just like Whitney… you’re gonna be great.’ She said, ‘I’d like that.’ And then we lost her.”
The collaboration between Kevin and Diana sadly never went ahead. The princess tragically died in Paris on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36.
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