Stepping out in a series of jaunty berets paired with classic, wire-rimmed glasses, the 72-year-old icon completely transformed his look. And as it turns out, the distinctive wardrobe choice was deeply intentional.
Travolta attended the festival for a very special milestone this year. He made his feature-length directorial debut for the film ‘Propeller One-Way Night Coach’, which stars his 26-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu. And so, Travolta decided his wardrobe needed to reflect his new role behind the camera.
Speaking to CNN about the viral fashion moment, the ‘Grease’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ star revealed that his ensemble was a carefully crafted homage to the golden era of filmmaking.
“I said, ‘I’m a director this time. You’re an actor, play the part of a director, look like an old-school director,'” Travolta explained. Delving into cinema’s rich history to curate his Cannes wardrobe, the star did his research. “I looked up pictures from the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and the old-school directors wore berets, and the glasses, and I thought, ‘That’s what I’m doing. I’m doing an homage to being a director, so I’m going to play the part.'”
Beyond being a stylish nod to the auteurs of the past, the bold fashion statement serves a beautifully sentimental purpose for the veteran actor. Having spent more than five decades navigating film sets, press tours, and global premieres, Travolta admitted that the endless stream of black-tie events can sometimes blur together in his memory.
By donning a completely unique look for his first outing as a director, he has created a visual anchor for himself.
“I’ll know, ‘Oh, that was ‘Propeller One-Way Night Coach’, that was Cannes, that’s when I won the Palme d’Or,’ and I’ll have a vividness of it,” he shared warmly.
That vividness was undoubtedly amplified by a deeply moving surprise during the festival. Ahead of his film’s premiere, Cannes delegate Thierry Frémaux presented Travolta with an Honorary Palme d’Or, a prestigious lifetime achievement award recognising his immense contribution to global cinema. Visibly moved by the tribute, Travolta humbly described the recognition as being “beyond the Oscar.”
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