Kevin Costner is remembering Dolly Parton with heartfelt words following the country music legend’s death.

Parton died on Aug. 25 at the age of 80, with her family confirming the heartbreaking news. Her nephew Bryan Seaver shared the announcement on Instagram, saying the beloved star was now “in the arms of Jesus” alongside her late husband, Carl Dean.

Costner, who starred in and produced the 1992 movie The Bodyguard, shared an emotional tribute to Parton on Instagram.

“Oh my goodness. Where did you go Dolly?” the 71-year-old actor wrote. “We are all breathless.”

Costner went on to thank Parton for trusting him with one of her most famous songs, I Will Always Love You.

“Thank you for trusting me with I Will Always Love You. So gracious in all things,” he wrote.

He added that everyone was struggling to process the loss and ended his message with a simple but emotional farewell.

“We will miss you so much. So much.”

The connection between Costner, Parton and the song dates back to The Bodyguard.

In the film, Costner played Frank Farmer, a former Secret Service agent hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron, played by Whitney Houston. Their relationship begins with tension but eventually develops into a romance.

Houston’s performance of I Will Always Love You became the emotional centerpiece of the movie.

The song was originally written and recorded by Parton in 1974. She wrote it as a farewell to Porter Wagoner, her longtime professional partner and mentor, when she decided to leave his television show and pursue her own career.

When The Bodyguard was being developed, the filmmakers needed a song that could close the story and capture the emotions between Rachel and Frank.

Costner reportedly helped push for Parton’s song.

Parton later recalled that Costner and his secretary were among the people who loved the song. She sent a recording to the production but did not hear anything for months.

Then, she unexpectedly heard Houston’s version on the radio.

Parton remembered hearing Houston begin the song with its famous a cappella opening and slowly realizing what she was listening to.

“When she went into the I will always love you, I just about had a heart attack,” Parton recalled in 2003.

She was amazed by Houston’s recording and praised the singer for what she had done with the song.

The decision became a defining moment for both artists.

The Bodyguard soundtrack went on to become one of the biggest-selling albums in music history, while Houston’s version of I Will Always Love You became a worldwide phenomenon.

The song earned Houston two Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The movie was also a major success, earning more than $400 million at the global box office.

For Costner, however, the song’s importance appears to be about more than its enormous commercial success.

Decades later, he remembered the trust Parton placed in him and the role her songwriting played in creating one of the most memorable moments in The Bodyguard.

Now, following Parton’s death, Costner’s tribute offers another reminder of the extraordinary connection between the country legend’s songwriting and Houston’s unforgettable voice.

Parton wrote I Will Always Love You as a goodbye, but the song ultimately became a lasting symbol of love, loss and remembrance.

And for Costner, it will forever be connected to the special trust Dolly Parton gave him.