Yahoo Lifestyle Kristin Chenoweth dedicates emotional cover of 'I Will Always Love You' to late friend Gavin Creel
The 48-year-old Broadway star died in September.
Wicked star Kristin Chenoweth is sending love to her late friend, Broadway actor Gavin Creel.
Chenoweth performed an emotional cover of Dolly Parton's song "I Will Always Love You" dedicated to Creel on Monday's episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty
Kristin Chenoweth paid tribute to Gavin Creel"This song is for my friend Gavin Creel, who’s in heaven, and I miss him every day. I love you, Gavin," Chenoweth said.
Creel died in July at 48, after having been diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma in July.
A Broadway staple since 2002, he portrayed Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie, originated the role of Hollis Bessemer in Stephen Sondheim's Bounce, and played the part of Jean-Michel in the revival of La Cage aux Folles. He was also cast in She Loves Me, Into the Woods, Hair, The Book of Mormon, and Waitress. Creel won acclaim, including a Tony, for his turn in the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly!, in which he played Cornelius Hackl.
When Creel died, Chenoweth shared video of the two hugging after what appears to be one of his shows.
He tells her, "I love you."
"I love you too Gavin," Chenoweth wrote. "RIP my friend. You'll be so missed. Our community loves you so much! Fly with the angels, brother!"
Related: Ariana Grande corrects official Wicked social account on 'Popular' lyrics
Chenoweth's intimate moment with another famous friend, Ariana Grande, was revealed earlier this month on the Broadway Podcast Network's Wicked podcast, Sentimental Men. Grande explained what happened when she told Chenoweth, who originated the role of Glinda in the Broadway show that debuted in 2003.
"I finally confessed to her, I said, 'Hey, I think they're doing this now, and I think that I wanna go for Glinda,' and she went into the bathroom and closed the door and started crying," Grande said of Chenoweth, who has a smaller role in the film. "It was the sweetest thing in the world. Oh my god, it makes me emotional. It was so cute. She was just like, 'I was hoping this would happen. I love you, and I trust you with it, baby girl.' She was like, 'Just do your thing. Just do your thing. You are so funny and you have great instincts and no one knows that. You're gonna backdoor 'em.' And I was just like, 'Okay.'"
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
