John Travolta honors late wife Kelly Preston on 64th birthday with video of daughter Ella Bleu
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: John Travolta is remembering his late wife, Kelly Preston, on what would have been her 64th birthday by sharing a tribute featuring their daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, celebrating her Paris Fashion Week debut.
Travolta has also spoken about coping with personal loss and finding optimism, revealing that his latest film is dedicated to his late wife, son Jett, and other family members.
John Travolta honors Kelly Preston on her birthday with Ella Bleu's runway debut
On Tuesday, Travolta shared a video of his and Kelly's 26-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu, getting ready for her Paris Fashion Week debut, where she walked Miu Miu's spring/summer 2027 runway on Sunday, October 4.
“Look at your baby girl now Kelly!! Happy birthday, you should be so proud!!” Travolta wrote on Instagram. Ella also marked her mother's birthday, sharing a childhood photograph with Preston on her Instagram Story and writing, “Happy birthday, mama. I love you.”
Preston, who starred in 'Jerry Maguire', died at 57 in 2020 after battling breast cancer. She and Travolta met during a screen test for their 1989 film 'The Experts', when Preston was married to actor Kevin Gage.
After separating from Gage, she married Travolta, known for 'Pulp Fiction', in 1991. They remained married for nearly three decades until her death. At the time, Travolta expressed gratitude to the medical professionals and loved ones who supported Preston during her illness.
“She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many,” he said. He also thanked her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, other medical centers, friends and loved ones who stood by her.
John Travolta reflects on grief and dedicates new film to Kelly Preston and son Jett
Travolta has previously discussed the challenges of navigating grief following the deaths of his wife and son. Jett died in 2009 after suffering a seizure that caused a fall, while Preston died 11 years later, two years after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Although Travolta appreciated the support he received after Preston's death, he admitted that he “felt saturated with everyone's sadness” and “didn't know what to do” with the condolence messages. Speaking to 'Esquire Spain' in 2021, he explained, “The most important thing you can do to help another when they are in mourning is allow them to live it and not complicate it with yours.”
In an interview with Italian newspaper 'La Repubblica', Travolta revealed that he dedicated his new film, 'Propeller One-Way Night Coach', to Preston, Jett, his parents and siblings. “I dedicated the film to Kelly, to my son Jett, to my brothers and sisters, to my mother and my father, because they are the model from which this film was born,” he said.
Inspired by his first flight as a child and his 1997 children's book of the same name, the semi-autobiographical film stars Ella and follows eight-year-old Jeff's perspective on the United States in 1962. Although it addresses difficult historical subjects, the story centers on childhood hope and resilience.
“I'm not made to remain absorbed in the darkness,” Travolta said. “I can look at the darkness, but I don't choose to die in that darkness.” He hopes audiences will rediscover optimism, recalling how he once viewed life as full of possibilities.
