John Travolta Explains the Origin of His Viral Beret Look at Cannes
John Travolta Explains the Origin of His Viral Beret Look at Cannes
Angel SaundersTue, May 19, 2026 at 4:40 AM UTC
0
John Travolta at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
Credit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty
-
John Travolta is sharing the inspiration behind his viral berets at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
The Grease alum made his directorial debut with his daughter, Ella, for Propeller One-Way Night Coach
“It is beyond a humbling experience,” he later said of the weekend
John Travolta is sharing the origin story of his viral beret-centric look at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
The actor, 72, said there was a reason he wore the stylish headgear three times for his directorial debut in France over the weekend, in a new interview with CNN published on Monday, May 18.
John Travolta piloting an airplane to the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
Credit: John Travolta/Instagram
“The old school directors wore berets and the glasses. And I thought, that's what I'm doing,” Travolta told the outlet.
“Big day, big night in Cannes. Stay tuned!” he captioned an Instagram video as he arrived after piloting his own plane to the premiere of Propeller One-Way Night Coach on Friday, May 15, along with his daughter Ella, 26, who stars as a flight attendant in the film.
In the video, he wore a navy blue beret.
After getting changed for the main event, Travolta wowed in a classic suit, this time in an ivory beret as he and Ella walked the red carpet for a rare father-daughter moment in front of the photographers.
John Travolta during the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2026
Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty
The Grease star admitted to CNN that there are definitely some looks in his past that aren't that memorable.
“I've been around for over 50 years doing movies, but I can't tell, when I look back, the difference between the events,” he said.
Advertisement
“And 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 continued, adding that he “looked up pictures” of talented filmmakers who came before him.
He wore a third beret during a photo call for Propeller One-Way Night Coach on Saturday, May 16.
John Travolta poses at the "Propeller One-Way Night Coach" photocall at the 2026 Cannes Film Fest
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage
“I'm gonna do an homage to being a director,” the Hairspray star told CNN of his red carpet wardrobe. “So I'm gonna play the part of being a director and then when I look back, I'll know, ‘Oh, that was Propeller One-Way Night Coach, that was Cannes, that was when I won the Palme d'Or.' And I will have vividness of it.”
Travolta also reflected on the surprise Honorary Palme d'Or via social media.
“I've never been more proud to win an award!” he captioned an Instagram photo of himself smiling as he held up the hardware. “To me the Cannes Palme d'Or award has always represented art at its finest. It is beyond a humbling experience.”
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The film, which will begin streaming globally on Apple TV on May 29, is executive produced by Mark Marraccini. It follows a young aviation enthusiast named Jeff and his mother as they embark on a cross-country flight to Hollywood that transforms into a life-changing journey filled with unexpected moments.
Propeller One-Way Night Coach is an adaptation of Travolta's 1997 children's book of the same name.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
