Robyn Crawford

Robyn Crawford
Born (1960-12-17) December 17, 1960 (age 64)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
SpouseLisa Hintelmann
Children2

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]

Early life

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

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

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

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

Podcasts

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

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

References

  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.