The Bodyguard is one of the most famous movies of all time. The plot revolves around a person who served as a US Secret Service agent and moved into personal security. He protects a young singer, and the story unfolds from there.
The movie was initially written in the 1970s and took a long time to finish. It seldom got made, but the writer’s persistence and a stroke of luck changed all that. Here’s how the cult classic of The Bodyguard eventually got made.
The Mastermind Lawrence Kasdan
The man behind The Bodyguard is Lawrence Kasdan. His love and passion for writing come from his parents. He was born in Florida in 1949. At university, he won the honorable Hopwood Award Writing Contest four times.
He got a Master’s degree and started writing screenplays aiming for movie scripts in the future. He initially created The Bodyguard in an agency in Detroit, working as a copywriter. He saw potential in his script and thought it would make big in the future. While he had faith in his script and some interest, getting it made wasn’t easy.
Chasing Leading Actors for the Role
The leading roles are always stereotypical and somewhat conventional. Although, the original 1970s draft of the film was made based on two very different actors. These were Ryan O’Neal, pictured as the Bodyguard, while Diana Ross was the leading actress.
Kasdan wanted Steve McQueen as the main character initially as he seemed to fit the role better. But things went wrong over time, and Diana Ross left mid-project. It was evident that the film would turn out to be a disaster, or so many people thought.
The Final Efforts of Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner worked with Kasdan on another project, and he stumbled upon the script of The Bodyguard and fell in love with it. He wanted to make the movie and also star in it right away. Lawrence Kasdan moved on to new projects, but the film was always in his thoughts.
He later gave The Bodyguard another chance. As his name had garnered a growing reputation, he eventually created the film. All that time and work finally paid off as the film became a huge success, with Costner starring in one of his most iconic roles.