Icons: December 2007 Archives

John Travolta has been a star for more than 30 years. He's endured his share of snarky remarks over everything from his choice or roles to his hair, to his personal life to his habit of kissing men on the lips in public.

Heck, I'm sure I've made a snarky remark or two myself. But when he walked up to me yesterday morning on a red carpet leading up to the front door of the Beverly Hills Hotel, those eyes were so blue, so unbelievably blue. I was taken aback but gathered myself to conduct a little interview that will run tomorrow in my Daily News column. Here is an early look for "Out In Hollywood" readers:

By Greg Hernandez

You remember the strut the character of Tony Manero had while walking down the street in the opening scene of "Saturday Night Fever," right?

Well, John Travolta, nominated for an Oscar for his performance as the disco-dancing Manero, has good reason to be strutting again these days after the 2007 box office successes "Hairspray" and "Wild Hogs."

"Isn't it exciting?," John said when we chatted Tuesday morning at the Women In Entertainment Power 100 Breakfast. "It's probably my biggest year since 'Saturday Night Fever' and 'Grease' as far as films being successful in such a close-together time period."

John, now 53, was in his early 20s when he transitioned from TV star ("Welcome Back Kotter") to movie superstar with the one-two punch of "Fever" and "Grease."

He's had his ups ("Urban Cowboy," "Pulp Fiction," "Get Shorty," "Face/Off" and "Phenomenon") and plenty of downs ("Battlefield Earth," "Moment By Moment," "Perfect," "Staying Alive" and "Two of a Kind"), but his philosophy has always been to keep working.

Since John made a major comeback with his Oscar-nominated role in "Pulp," he has made 24 movies where he has been a leading man, part of an ensemble or in a supporting role.

"It's because I don't direct or produce," he said of his prolific acting resume. "I just act and I think you can make ypourself more available if you're just a hired actor. If you produce and direct, you really can only do one project a year. But if you just act, you can do two."

John was the biggest male star at an early-morning breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel to honor 100 powerful female movers-and-shakers: "It is hard to get me up but when 100 women invite you to be here, and you're the only man, you arrive with bells on your toes," he said.

He was there to introduce keynote speaker Queen Latifah, his "Hairspray" co-star. Also joining him was Nikki Blonsky who played his daughter in the hit musical which had John playing Edna Turnblad, a heavyset woman who in the movie's finale, dances up a storm (in a fat suit!).

John's performance was largely praised and "Hairspray took in just under $120 million domestically.
"I was very careful about every decision regarding 'Hairspray' and I was hoping this would be the result because I had waited 30 years to do a musical."