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.

Evil star Kristin Chenoweth sending love to his 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.

“This song is for my friend Gavin Creel who is in heaven and I miss him every day. I love you Gavin,” Chenoweth said.

Creel died in July aged 48after being diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma in July.

He has been a fixture on Broadway since 2002, portraying Jimmy Smith in Completely modern Millieoriginated the role of Hollis Bessemer in Stephen Sondheim’s Bounceand played the role of Jean-Michel in the revival of La Cage aux Folles. He was also thrown in She loves me, into the forest, Hair, book of mormon, and Waitress. Creel won acclaim, including a Tony, for his turn in the 2017 revival Hello, Dolly!in which he played Cornelius Hackl.

Related: Evil‘s Ariana Grande Tears Up, Reveals What Kristin Chenoweth Told Her Before Glinda Audition (Exclusive)

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 will be so missed. Our community loves you so much! Fly with the angels bro!”

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Chenoweth’s intimate moment with another famous friend, Ariana Grandewas revealed earlier this month on Broadway Podcast Network Evil 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 I’m going to go after Glinda,’ and she went into the bathroom and closed the door and started crying ,” Grande said of Chenoweth, who has a minor role in the film. “It was the sweetest thing in the world. Oh my god, it makes me emotional. It was so sweet. She was just like, ‘I was hoping this would happen.’ I love you and I trust you with that, baby girl.’ She said, “Just do your thing, you’re so funny and you have good instincts and nobody knows.” And I was just like, ‘Okay’.”

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