Hard as it may be to believe, it’s been 30 years since John Travolta donned a white disco suit and danced his way to superstardom in the smash-hit film about the disco era, Saturday Night Fever.
Since then, he’s appeared in a host of hits and misses, and raised two kids — Jett, 15, and Ella, 7 — with his wife Kelly Preston, 44.
A qualified jet pilot, his love of flying landed him in hot water last month. The star experienced engine problems while piloting his Boeing 707 on a trip from Germany to Boston, and was forced to make an emergency landing in Ireland — his second aeroplane scare in eight years.
Sporting a Grease-style black leather jacket, the 53-year-old actor was in an upbeat mood as he spoke to Woman’s Day from his hotel in Munich about being a bad cook, his friendships with the two Toms — Hanks and Cruise — and why he wants to become a dad for the third time.
Is there anything you want to do before you reach 60?
I have seven more years before it happens. I have always said my career is in the imagination of writers. Because if you said to me 20 years ago you’ll be playing a president of the United States, you will be playing a heroin addict, a hit man, an angel, an admiral, I’d have said, “Really, I’m going to do all that?” A writer took his pen and imagined something, so every day life offers me possibilities. Maybe something will come up tomorrow, but I don’t know. I tend to play life day to day to see what opportunities come up.
Have you ever regretted turning down the lead roles in As Good As It Gets and Chicago?
You always wonder “what if?” But you have to understand that at the time certain things were not what they are now. As Good As It Gets may not have had the same elements when it was offered to me that it had when it was being produced. Chicago was offered to me three times, but it didn’t have the exact script which ended up being done, and it didn’t have the vision the director came up with based on that script. I was not the only one to turn it down. Richard Gere turned it down after me twice. So did Kevin Kline and someone equally as prominent. I was the first one to turn it down and they turned it down.
Would you like more kids?
This summer, we’re going to do our best to create another one. I would like another son, because we’ve got our princess, one beautiful princess, and I think it would be fun to have another boy.
How would you describe yourself?
Relaxed would not be a bad description.
What do your children think of your attitude?
I am pretty silly with my children. I don’t know if they have any idea of my being cool. They understand the Grease image and other images. With them I am quite silly and natural and playful.
Do you get to spend much time flying?
I have my relationship with Qantas. I do about two months of travel and promotion for them a year. They help me take care of my 707. I would say between the Gulfstream II and the Boeing 707, it’s about 300 hours a year.
Are you thinking about work when you’re flying?
No. It’s a wonderful escape not from just work but from anything. It’s beautiful, and it is a magical mix of things to challenge you and escape all at once. It can be a humbling experience, for sure. You [try to] avoid those humbling experiences, but it can be. But 99 per cent of the time it is just a glorious experience.
Did you ever envision it to be as glorious?
It’s better than I thought it would be. It’s been a bigger experience than I thought it would be.
So your wife is never worried about you?
She prefers to fly with me than anybody.
Speaking of Kelly, are you planning to act with her?
We have no immediate plans for anything, but we are always looking. It’s a little tricky. It’s not as welcome for couples working together as it was years ago. I don’t know why. In the old days it was not a big deal. Now it seems to be criticised for some reason. We are not champing at the bit, but we are not avoiding the possibility either. We just want it to be so right that it’s a little bit protected before we do it. If we are both right for the parts, and if the director really wants us to do it. And it has integrity. And you have your bet it’s not being attacked. But any time I reflect on couples working together, it seems to be attacked.
Does your friendship with Tom Cruise come from your common interest in Scientology?
I don’t know — I don’t know what to compare my friendship with him to. Tom is a very busy guy. I have seen him only at events, openings or parties, and we spend a little time together. I probably spend more time with Tom Hanks. We’ll go to dinner three times a year and spend five, six hours a night. Or sometimes lunches. Cruise and I have 15-20 minute conversations three times a year, whereas I’ll actually go out and do something with Hanks. I know him more than Tom.
How much does Scientology as a belief mean to you?
It’s not a belief at all. It’s the opposite. The founder wants you to read — if you agree with it, good, if you don’t, then don’t. And you think for yourself. He’d be offended by the idea of anyone thinking they have to believe him. It’s the opposite. It’s to be your own person and ways of doing that, finding out who you are, and not being under the influence of others.
How did it feel donning drag for your upcoming film Hairspray?
I am very happy now, but during filming I was exhausted. When they screened it for 300 people in the US, it scored the highest score for New Line Cinema — who also did Lord Of The Rings and Wedding Crashers. And they asked every person, “Did you ever think a man was playing that character?” Not one person realised it was me!
For more of this interview see this week’s issue of Woman’s Day (on-sale May 14).
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