Rendez-vous with… John Travolta
International silver-screen legend John Travolta spoke to a packed room to share his past experiences with an excited crowd. Saturday Night Fever, Grease (screened tonight at the Cinéma de la Plage), Pulp Fiction, which won the Palme d’or in 1998 and Gotti, the subject of yesterday's surprise screening... We bring you the highlights from this session with John Travolta: his thoughts, on-set memories and tips for young actors.
John Travolta on his strong relationship with audiences
I can't explain it. When I act, I trust in my characters and their stories. There's something organic that encourages audiences to believe in their journeys, I take them away with me. My job is to give them that trust.
Grease, a hit through the ages
It's the gift that keeps on giving, something for me to pass down from generation to generation, it's a movie that stays fresh. Yesterday, Benicio Del Toro told me: "When I was young, I saw Grease 14 times. It's thanks to you I became an actor!"
Difficult points in his career
I don't believe in regrets, I believe in human observation. I held on to everything I could from those difficult times. An actor's job is to experiment with life and to observe. I chose a profession that is inherently unpredictable, and I had faith in the future. The only thing I was sure of is that I would trust.
His relationship with his characters
I don't think I need to like or agree with my characters. I don't feel the need to identify with them on a personal level. My job is to let them express themselves, not to worry about what I'm doing, simply to give them presence. I don't judge my characters, I absorb their essence.
Life after Pulp Fiction
The direct consequence of Pulp Fiction was that I got a fast-track ticket to any movie or director I wanted. It was the single most important movie of my career, even more so than Grease, it gave me 24 years of freedom.
His relationship with female directors
I find it easier to communicate with women, but from a talent perspective, there's no difference. A good idea is a good idea. I think a woman on set has less of a need to communicate compared to a man. But at the end of the day, differentiating between men and women is almost unnatural.
