Robyn Crawford (born December 17, 1960) is an American author, producer, and former assistant to and creative director for Whitney Houston. Her credits include The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), The Preacher's Wife (1996), and Cinderella (1997).
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. Both her mother, Janet Crawford, and her brother, Marty, were diagnosed with HIV, and both died of AIDS-related complications in the 1990s.
Relationship with Whitney Houston Crawford met Whitney Houston in 1980, when Crawford was 19 and Houston was 16. She and Houston met when they were counselors at an East Orange summer camp.
Crawford claims in her 2019 book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston 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. They lived together. Crawford says that she was ostracised and sidelined by Houston's family and management as Houston's fame grew and her career progressed, and when Houston married Bobby Brown. A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston became a New York Times Best Seller.
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.
Filmography Year Title Role1987In Between Script supervisor1992The Bodyguard Executive assistant to Whitney Houston1995Waiting to ExhaleExecutive assistant to Whitney Houston1997CinderellaAssociate producer2017Kevyn Aucoin: Beauty & the Beast in MeHerself2017Whitney: Can I Be MeHerself (archival footage)2018WhitneyHerself (archival footage)
In print Oprah Magazine The Advocate Essence
Podcasts DateShowEpisodeRoleDec. 26, 2019NPR's 1A"'She Had Me, I Had Her:' Robyn Crawford Opens Up"GuestNov. 20, 2019LGBTQ&A"Robyn Crawford: My Life With Whitney Houston"GuestNov. 12, 2019Yes, 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. .
References