Travolta, who is celebrating his milestone anniversary this Sunday, can of course do things completely differently. As Tony Manero, he was the king of the disco dance floor in 1977’s “Saturday Night Fever.” In the role of the dance-loving New York underdog, to the groovy songs of the Bee Gees, Travolta received his first Oscar nomination. The youngest of six children in a family with Italo-Irish roots became a superstar overnight.
A year later he had success with his curls, sideburns and hip swing. In the hit musical “Grease” he played the rebellious Danny and seduced the blonde, curly Sandy, played by film partner Olivia Newton-John. Travolta shone in the youthful look as a gifted dancer in the tradition of Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. Last November, the actor once again impersonated Tony Manero for a bank commercial. With a white beard and a red Santa Claus costume, he performed brisk disco steps. He rehearsed for “Saturday Night Fever” for seven months; this was firmly anchored in his DNA, Travolta joked on Instagram.
Travolta has been seen less on screen in recent years after a serious stroke of fate. His wife, actress Kelly Preston (“Jerry Maguire – Game of Life”), died of cancer in July 2020 at the age of 57. They were married to each other for almost 30 years. They also appeared together in front of the camera several times – the last time was in the gangster drama “Gotti” (2018). A sad occasion brought the Travolta family into the headlines back in 2009. Jett, the actor couple’s 16-year-old son, died while vacationing together in the Bahamas. The boy had suffered from seizures for years. In 2010, at age 48, Preston gave birth to son Benjamin, now 13. Daughter Ella Bleu is now 23 years old. Preston and Travolta were known as loyal followers of the controversial Scientology organization.
Travolta has also mourned the loss of former film partners in recent years. “My dearest Olivia, you have made all of our lives so much better,” the actor wrote on Instagram in August 2022, after the death of his “Grease” colleague Olivia Newton-John from cancer at the age of 73. Four months later, he said goodbye to “Cheers” star Kirstie Alley. “Kirstie was one of the most extraordinary relationships I have ever had. I love you, Kirstie. I know we will see each other again,” Travolta wrote on Instagram after her death from cancer at the age of 71. In the romantic comedy “Look Who’s Talking!” (1989), Alley played the pregnant Mollie, who goes into labor during a taxi ride. The driver, James (Travolta), not only helps her give birth, but also becomes a babysitter. In the end they are a couple. The film was a hit and was followed by two sequels.
It was a supporting role as a gang leader in Brian De Palma’s horror shocker “Carrie – Satan’s Youngest Daughter” that drew attention to the Hollywood newcomer in 1976. At that time, Travolta still attracted attention with his trademarks – black quiff, bright blue eyes and a distinctive chin dimple. Today he is bald and usually has a beard. Travolta, an enthusiastic hobby pilot with a commercial pilot’s license, also experienced crash landings in his film career, for example with the science fiction film “Battlefield Earth” based on a novel by Scientology founder Ron Hubbard. The film, which was torn apart by critics, flopped at the box office in 2000.
But the actor already had a cult role in Quentin Tarantino’s gangster film “Pulp Fiction” (1994). He played professional killer Vincent Vega alongside Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman. The reward was the second Oscar nomination. A year later he shone in the Hollywood satire “Schnappt Shorty” as the smarmy gangster Chili, who dreams of the film business. He won the Golden Globe for best comedy actor.
Travolta has proven himself in a wide variety of roles: In the political satire “With All Power” (1998), he woos voters as a sex-obsessed US presidential candidate. In the action thriller “Password: Swordfish” (2001) he acts alongside Halle Berry as a psychopathic terrorist. In the slapstick musical “Hairspray” (2007) he dances in women’s clothing as the clucky Edna Turnblad. Oliver Stone brought him in front of the camera as a corrupt drug investigator for the dark drug crime thriller “Savages” (2012). In “Criminal Activities” (2016) he shows off his power as a cool gangster. In 2019 he appeared in front of the camera for the thriller “The Poison Rose” with his daughter Ella Bleu, Morgan Freeman and Brendan Fraser.
Last year, Travolta agreed to a role in the planned thriller “Assassination” with an all-star cast including Al Pacino and Viggo Mortensen. The film aims to look at the possible involvement of the mafia in the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Travolta wrote on Instagram last May that he was very happy to be involved. Nothing is currently known about when filming will start, so his fans will have to be patient for a while.