John Travolta has been the subject of many gay rumors since the ’80s. The American actor’s involvement in different controversies raised questions about his sexuality. Several men came forward about their so-called “relationship” with the Grease actor. So? Is there any truth to these allegations? And is John Travolta gay? Read on for the answer.
VOTE: What is John Travolta’s Sexuality?
How Did the Rumors on John Travolta’s Sexuality Start?
Pornstar Paul Barresi first publicly called John Travolta gay when he gave a tell-all interview about their alleged relationship during the 1980s. This somehow started the rumor about the actor’s sexual orientation.
In 2009, actress Carrie Fisher, who had been friends with John Travolta for decades, “outed” the actor. The actress, who had been divorced from her ex-husband, Bryan Lourd, after he came out of the closet, was doing a no-holds-barred interview with Advocate.com. In the said interview, she mentioned knowing that “John Travolta is gay”.
We don’t really care that John Travolta is gay. Wow! I mean, my feeling about John has always been that we know and we don’t care. Look, I’m sorry that he’s uncomfortable with it, and that’s all I can say. It only draws more attention to it when you make that kind of legal fuss. Just leave it be.”
Carrie Fisher directly said
That fueled the assumptions about the actor’s sexuality even more.
Douglas Gotterba, a former pilot of John Travolta’s aircraft company, Alto, also claimed that he was romantically involved with John Travolta during the ’80s. He seeks the right to publish a tell-all book about their supposed personal and intimate relationship.
In 2012, Fabian Zanzi, a former employee of Royal Caribbean Cruises, accused John Travolta of sexual harassment. These claims were, however, dismissed by their lawyers, and Zanzi could not refile the case.
In the very same year, making 2012 the highest point of gay rumors surrounding the actor, two masseurs from Beverly Hills and Atlanta filed a sexual battery lawsuit against John Travolta. The lawsuits were later on withdrawn.
In a 2014 interview, John Travolta said that rumors like this are the Achilles’ heel of every celebrity. He directly denied all the rumors with regard to his sexuality, as well as the sexual assault claims against him.
Kirstie Alley, John Travolta’s co-star in the 1989 movie “Look Who’s Talking Back”, said that John Travolta is not gay. Alley even claimed that they had romantic feelings towards each other. The actress even called John the “greatest love” of her life.
John Travolta’s Past Relationships
Despite all these malicious rumors with regards to the actor’s sexuality, John Travolta has actually been married to Kelly Preston since 1991. They met when John Travolta joined the Church of Scientology in 1975.
Mike Rinder, a former top spokesman of the Church of Scientology, said that he wouldn’t speculate about the sexual orientation of John Travolta. He knows it would be a huge issue if anyone from their church came out as gay because “the church is anti-gay even if they don’t publicize it.”
However, In September 2022, Mike Rinder said that he once saw John Travolta kiss a male masseur—probably the same masseur who came forward in 2012. Also, one of Scientology’s most powerful executives, Karen de la Carriere, was not in favor of John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s relationship. She described John Travolta as “a bad boy who likes risky sexual adventures.” She also said that Kelly Preston is “either deluded or more likely just deaf to the whole thing.”
Despite everything, John Travolta and Kelly Preston were married for nearly 29 years. The actress died in 2020, at the age of 57, after her two-year battle with breast cancer. The couple have three children — Jett, Ella, and Benjamin. Jett had autism and was suffering from Kawasaki syndrome. He died in 2009, at the age of 16, after he suffered a seizure at his family’s vacation home in the Bahamas.
Is John Travolta Gay?
Even with all the speculations, we can’t really assume that John Travolta is gay. He is also innocent of all the sexual allegations thrown at him until proven guilty.
Aside from being married for almost 30 years, the actor also directly denied all the rumors and accusations against him. With everything mentioned above, it is safe to assume that the actor is, in fact, straight.