Robyn Crawford (born December 17, 1960) is an American author, producer, and former assistant to and creative director for Whitney Houston.[1][2] Her credits include The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), The Preacher's Wife (1996), In Between (1987), and Cinderella (1997).[3]

Robyn Crawford
Born (1960-12-17) December 17, 1960 (age 63)
SpouseLisa Hintelmann
Children2

Early life

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Crawford was born in Newark, New Jersey, but grew up as one of three siblings in East Orange, New Jersey. Crawford's mother left her father due to his abuse.[4] Both her mother, Janet Crawford, and her brother, Marty, were diagnosed with HIV, and both died of AIDS related illness in the ’90s.[5]

Relationship with Whitney Houston

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Crawford met Whitney Houston in 1980, when Crawford was 19 and Houston was 16, the pair having both been counselors at an East Orange summer camp.[6][7]

Crawford claims in her book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston, published in 2019, that she had a same-sex relationship with Houston that faded as they prioritized Houston's career. Crawford left school to aid Houston's career.[4] They lived together as a couple.[2][8] Crawford was ostracised and sidelined by Houston's family and management as Houston's fame grew and her career progressed, and she married Bobby Brown.[8][9]

Her book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston became a New York Times Best Seller.[10]

Personal life

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Crawford lives in New Jersey with her wife Lisa Hintelmann, with whom she adopted twins. Lena Waithe has cited Crawford as an early inspiration.[4]

Filmography

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Year Title Role
1987 In Between[3] Script supervisor
1992 The Bodyguard[3] Executive assistant to Whitney Houston
1995 Waiting to Exhale[3] Executive assistant to Whitney Houston
1997 Cinderella[3] Associate producer
2017 Kevyn Aucoin: Beauty & the Beast in Me[3] Herself
2017 Whitney: Can I Be Me[3] Herself

(Archival Footage)

2018 Whitney[3] Herself

(Archival Footage)

In print

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Podcasts

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Date Show Episode Role
Dec. 26, 2019 NPR's 1A "'She Had Me, I Had Her:' Robyn Crawford Opens Up"[12] Guest
Nov. 20, 2019 LGBTQ&A[13] "Robyn Crawford: My Life With Whitney Houston" Guest
Nov. 12, 2019 Yes, Girl!, an Essence podcast "Nobody Loved Whitney Like Robyn Crawford - The Interview You've Been Waiting For" Guest

Autobiography

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  • A Song for You. My Life With Whitney Houston. Dutton. 2019. ISBN 9781524742843.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Caramanica, Jon (November 7, 2019). "Whitney Houston's Confidante Robyn Crawford Breaks Her Silence". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b "Robyn Crawford & Whitney Houston — Didn't We Almost Have It All by About A Girl". Podchaser. 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Robyn Crawford". IMDb.
  4. ^ a b c d Davis, Arianna (November 12, 2019). "Robyn Crawford Opens up to Lena Waithe About Her Relationship With Whitney Houston". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  5. ^ McNeil, Liz (November 8, 2019). "Whitney Houston's Best Friend Robyn Crawford Counters Claim that Dee Dee Warwick Molested the Singer". People. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. ^ a b Penn, Charli (November 12, 2019). "Exclusive: The Robyn Crawford Interview You Haven't Heard Yet". Essence. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (November 7, 2019). "Whitney Houston's best friend Robyn Crawford confirms they had a physical relationship". Insider. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Brockes, Emma (November 16, 2019). "'Our friendship was intimate on all levels': Robyn Crawford on her love for Whitney Houston". the Guardian. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  9. ^ McNeil, Liz (November 6, 2019). "Whitney Houston's Best Friend Robyn Crawford Breaks Her Silence on Their Love Affair in New Memoir". People. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction". The New York Times. November 25, 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Robyn Crawford on Loving Whitney Houston: "It Was Deep"". www.advocate.com. November 12, 2019.
  12. ^ "'She Had Me, I Had Her:' Robyn Crawford Opens Up". NPR.
  13. ^ "Robyn Crawford: My Life With Whitney Houston". LGBTQ&A – via Luminary.
  14. ^ "A Song for You My Life With Whitney Houston By Robyn Crawford". penguinrandomhouse.com. Retrieved July 19, 2020.