Everyone is enjoying their time at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, but John Travolta might be having the best experience of them all. While attending the annual festival in a snazzy black suit, vanilla-colored tie, and a matching beret, Cannes organizers surprised the Look Who’s Talking and Grease actor with an honorary Palme d’Or, which is the Cannes equivalent of a lifetime achievement prize. Initially, Travolta was at the event for the world premiere of his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, but now he’s got more reasons to celebrate.
Travolta broke into tears upon receiving the Palme d’Or prize, saying, “This is beyond the Oscar.” While wiping tears from his eyes, Travolta exclaimed, “Surprise complétement!” Adding, “I can’t believe this. This is the last thing I expected.” Travolta then turned to Cannes director Thierry Fremaux, a look of shock on his smiling face, “You said this would be a special night, but I didn’t know it would mean this.” Fremaux responded: “We knew!”
“This is a humbling moment, so thank you Thierry from the bottom of my heart,” Travolta continued. “When I met with you in November, I had no expectation that my film would be accepted. And when Thierry said it was not only accepted but it was making history because it would be the first film ever accepted that early, I cried like a baby because I just couldn’t believe it. Because in my opinion, you are the most discerning person in the movie industry. I was just happy to be here! I never expected this. Thank you so much.”
After screening his new film, Travolta spoke with Fremaux about his inspiration for Propeller One-Way Night Coach, adding that he broke down in tears after learning the hour-long feature would screen at Cannes.
“Why this film exists and actually why I exist as an artist is because of that group of people right there,” Travolta said, pointing to his family in the crowd. “My oldest sister, Ellen, was really this character, the lead in this film. But it’s really a mixture of my sister and my mother because they both influenced me so deeply, and they were responsible for all my hopes and dreams, and they watched me make them come true. So this is just a little taste of my origins and what it was like to be me when I was little. So I hope you enjoyed it. It means the world to me that you’re here.”
We’d like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Travolta on the launch of his film and on earning the coveted Palme d’Or.