John Travolta: High Flier

Image: Vikas Khot

John Travolta

Global superstardom, then a long period when you were just another actor, then, with Pulp Fiction, you were a superstar again. How did you cope with it?
It’s all a matter of quality of product. It was always possible for me to be in a hit movie; but what kind of hit did you want to do? I started out with an Academy Award nomination and other accolades in my early career, and then even though I had some big hits, they weren’t of the quality of character that I got to portray in some of the early films.

Pulp Fiction was the first role since the earlier films to offer me a challenge as an actor versus just a challenge as a box office star. That’s really the difference. How do you measure your success? Do you measure it by box office? Do you measure it by quality of projects or quality of character and acting? Both are survival; both you survive well. I liked surviving as an actor better than as just a name. That’s what it offered me: This opportunity to become an actor again, to have lots of different roles and characters. [For] 16 years I’ve been fortunate to widen my spectrum, because of that role.

Initially it was Saturday Night Fever. As a young man, that allowed me a few more roles that had depth and quality: Urban Cowboy and Blowout and things like that. But then it’s difficult as a young person to find the roles with the gravity and depth. So part of it is, you have to get a little older, to even be beckoned or welcomed into to the kind of roles that will give you more substance. And that’s what Pulp Fiction did. It showed the industry that, you know, ‘let’s try him on other things; he was risky, he did this…’ So then one after another, the roles seemed to be challenging me. But also, a lot had to do with being a little older. Living a life a little more, rubbing elbows with people, and knowing how to contribute more. There’s that too to consider.

The stardom never left me. What people don’t sometimes understand is, you’re never not famous. So the reaction I got 30, 35 years ago is the reaction I get today. That’s never changed. It’s only the movies that have changed. You’re famous till you die. And you’re famous after you die. It’s two separate things, really. There’s nothing you can do about your fame. Once you’re world-known, like I was initially, that stays with you no matter what your films do. I could retire now, you’d still know who I am. If I went to an airport I’d still be recognised. It’s not so much about how you’re adjusting to that. It’s more [about how you are] adjusting to the quality of movie that you’re being presented as an artist. That’s what matters to you.

Doesn’t stardom, and the saleability that comes with it, give you a better quality of movies?
I find it’s more the quality of movies you choose that make you saleable for the next one. It’s never about whether your movie is a success; it’s how good is your movie.

Do you regret the choices you made before Pulp Fiction?
No, no. Because those were the best I [was] offered. There wasn’t very much else I could have done for my age. You do Look Who’s Talking and it’s big, a worldwide hit; you’ve entertained people; why would you regret that? I’d never regret that. It’s entertaining people. It’s just that you have your own personal preference but I still liked it, I still wouldn’t change it. Why would I change that?

What’s next?
More of the same. The last 17 years have been so wonderful; every role is different for me. So I can hopefully continue that. I’d like that. Especially as I get older, I would like for all the characters to be equally as interesting and diverse; and that’s what seems to happen, you know. I’m looking forward to that.

Will you direct?
No. I’m not interested in directing. I write, a bit. And sometimes I have to produce. But by nature I’m not… My mother directed, my brother directs. It’s a 24X7 job, you know. I like living my life in acting. So I have time to fly planes and spend time with my kids.