'I had to be forced into idol Whitney's role,' confesses Heather Headley, star of West End's The Bodyguard

 
6 December 2012

The West End star of The Bodyguard says she was virtually forced into taking on the role made famous by Whitney Houston — even though the late singer was her idol since childhood.

Heather Headley, 38, who had not set foot on stage in more than a decade, said she initially believed no one could turn the film into a musical.

She said it was her husband, businessman Brian Musso, who persuaded her to take the role of Rachel Marron.

“He told me, ‘You said you want to be Whitney when you grow up — this is perfect for you’,” revealed Headley.

The US Tony Award-winning star won a standing ovation at the Adelphi Theatre world premiere last night.

But she said it might never have happened if the deal had not been struck well before Houston accidentally drowned in February. “It was daunting before she died,” said Headley. “I consider her to have had one of the greatest voices I’ve ever heard and I thought, ‘There’s no way I can sing this stuff’.

“Whitney was a teacher of mine. It took her 30 years to teach me all these songs. I grew up with them and I’ve been learning this part for 30 years.

“I’m not sure I would have signed the contract before. When she passed, it took on a different meaning. She was in saint-like mode. But the show is not a biopic. The music is Whitney’s legend and the music will live on.”

Co-star Lloyd Owen, making his musical debut in the Kevin Costner title role, said the show could be more powerful than the screen version. “It honours the film,” he added, “but there are strong differences that makes it work theatrically. And you hear that voice live.”

A whole a team of children is playing Headley’s stage son Fletcher — including Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Malaki Paul, 10, of Latymer All Saints primary school in Edmonton.

Among the premiere audience were comedian Brian Conley — who had to be treated in hospital after his shock withdrawal from I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last month — and his wife Anne-Marie.

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