Jacinda Barret and John Travolta in "Ladder 49"
courtesy of Touchstone Pictures
"The Nicest Man In Hollywood"

ATLANTA: Let me say right off that I am a big John Travolta fan. I think he has amazing talent as an actor and can play anything from comedy to drama and back. Plus everybody loves it when he stars in a musical. His roles in "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever" are legendary.

His new film is "Ladder 49," in which he plays the Chief of a Firefighters Unit in Baltimore. He came to Atlanta to publicize the movie and brought along his co-stars Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Patrick, as well as the director of the movie, Jay Russell. Oh, and he flew them all in on his private jet.

Travolta loves to fly and this love of aviation carries over into his personal life. His son is named Jett (as in jet plane) and his daughter is named Ella Bleu (as in wild blue yonder). He also wrote the book PROPELLER-ONE WAY NIGHT COACH: A STORY that is a "fable" about a young boy's first airplane flight.

Every time I speak with Travolta (and this was my fifth interview with him) I am impressed with how friendly and unassuming he is. He always acts like you had lunch together the day before and are just catching up again. I always re-introduce myself to him and he always scoffs at me for doing so. "I know who you are," he says. "Every time I come to Atlanta I look forward to seeing you."

I immediately told him I had wanted to see more of his character in the movie, but that the focus had been on Phoenix's role. "Yeah, but that is just because you like me so much," he said grinning. Then he added, "They did build up my role from what it was at first but there is only so much time in a movie so you can't get everything you want."

I always ask him too about when he is going to do another musical. "Well I have two new movies coming out after this one so I have been busy," he answered. "I am in a small independent film called 'A Love Song For Bobby Long' and it was shown at the Venice Film Festival. It got a great response and I am hoping it is going to be successful. I am excited about it."

"Then I just finished 'Be Cool' which is the sequel to 'Get Shorty," he added. "I play Chilli Palmer again, and that was fun."

"But what about a musical?" I persisted.

"You know Hollywood is still scared of musicals. If I am going to do one I will probably have to finance it myself," he replied.

"What's wrong with that?" I pressed. But his answer was just the Travolta grin. He and I were both thinking that he had the chance to do the musical "Chicago" but he turned down the role that eventually went to Richard Gere. That was a mistake, he admits.

After the interview I learned that he is considering writing his autobiography. There are a lot of points of interest in Travolta's life from his early days on the TV sitcom "Welcome Back Kotter" to the highs of his movie career. There is also his romance with "older woman" Diana Hyland, who virtually died in his arms, to his courtship and marriage to Kelly Preston. And in between there were other interesting romantic entanglements.

He is a fascinating man, and a talented actor. Plus he is the friendliest man in Hollywood. At least in my book.

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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