Kelly Preston Dies of Breast Cancer at 57: 'She Was a Bright, Beautiful and Loving Soul'
Kelly Preston has died. She was 57.
"Choosing to keep her fight private, she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends," the family rep says. "She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched. Her family asks for your understanding of their need for privacy at this time."
Preston is survived by her husband John Travolta and their children: daughter Ella, 20, and 9-year-old son Benjamin. Son Jett died at age 16 in January 2009.
Preston, who was born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith on October 13, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii, studied acting at the University of Southern California and launched her career in 1985 with her first major movie role in Mischief after several minor roles in television shows, including For Love and Honor.
In the next few years, Preston starred in films such as SpaceCamp (1986), Twins (1988), Jerry Maguire (1996) and For Love of the Game (1999). Preston's final film role was in the 2018 film Gotti in which she played Victoria Gotti, the wife of Mafia boss John Gotti, who was portrayed on screen by Travolta.
Along with her career, Preston treasured her decades-long romance with husband Travolta.
On New Year's Eve 1991, Travolta proposed at the Palace Hotel restaurant in Gstaad, Switzerland, with a six-carat yellow-and-white diamond ring. When they got married on Sept. 5, 1991, Preston was two months pregnant with their son Jett. (The couple later got married for a second time on U.S. soil in Daytona Beach, Florida.)
Last September, Travolta and Preston celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. "Happy Anniversary to my wonderful wife ♥️ @therealkellypreston," the Grease actor wrote on Instagram at the time.
Preston wrote a heartfelt note to her husband, sharing: "To my dearest Johnny, the most wonderful man I know. You have given me hope when I have felt lost, loved me patiently and unconditionally… made me laugh harder than any other human being possible… shared the most beautiful highs and at times low. You're a dream Daddio and make life so much fun!! I trust my love with you implicitly… with you I know I will always be okay no matter what happens… I love you forever and completely. Happy 28th Anniversary @johntravolta."
In 2018, Preston told PEOPLE about one of the couple's last romantic moments. "I think it's when Johnny just whisks me away, and we'll jump on the airplane and go out to dinner, and I don't know where we're going. It's good to be married to a pilot!" she said.
And the mother of three adored her children. "I've wanted babies since I was 9," Preston told InStyle in 2001.
Their son Jett was born in April 1992 and daughter Ella was born in April 2000. Following Jett's tragic death, son Ben was born in November 2010 after Preston and Travolta tried for three years to conceive.
Preston's final Instagram post was a family selfie in celebration of Father's Day in June. "Happy Father’s Day to the best one I know, we love you," she captioned the photo which starred their son Ben and daughter Ella. In addition, Preston posted a black-and-white portrait of Travolta and Jett.
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1983 10 to Midnight Doreen
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn Dhyana
Christine Roseanne
1985 Mischief Marilyn McCauley
Secret Admirer Deborah Anne Fimple
1986 SpaceCamp Tish Ambrosé
52 Pick-Up Cynthia "Cini" Frazier
1987 Love at Stake Sara Lee
A Tiger's Tale Shirley Butts
Amazon Women on the Moon Violet Segment: "Titan Man"
1988 Spellbinder Miranda Reed
Twins Marnie Mason
1989 The Experts Bonnie
1991 Run Karen Landers
1992 Only You Amanda Hughes
1994 Double Cross Vera Blanchard Video
Love Is a Gun Jean Starr
1995 Mrs. Munck Young Rose Munck
Waiting to Exhale Kathleen Uncredited cameo
1996 Citizen Ruth Rachel
From Dusk till Dawn Newscaster Kelly Houge
Curdled Kelly Hogue
Jerry Maguire Avery Bishop
1997 Addicted to Love Linda
Nothing to Lose Ann Beam
1998 Holy Man Kate Newell
Jack Frost Gabby Frost
1999 For Love of the Game Jane Aubrey
2000 Battlefield Earth Chirk
2001 Daddy and Them Rose
2003 View from the Top Sherry
What a Girl Wants Libby Reynolds
The Cat in the Hat Joan Walden
2004 Eulogy Lucy Collins
Return to Sender Susan Kennan
2005 Sky High Josie Stronghold / Jetstream
2006 Broken Bridges Angela Delton
2007 Death Sentence Helen Hume
2008 Struck Trista Short film
2009 Old Dogs Vicki Greer
2010 The Last Song Kim Miller
Casino Jack Pam Abramoff
2018 Gotti Victoria Gotti
2020 Off the Rails Cassie Posthumous release
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Hawaii Five-O Wendy Episode: "For Old Times Sake"
1982 Capitol Gillian McCandless TV series
1983 Lone Star Redhead TV film
1983 Quincy, M.E. Ginger Reeves Episode: "On Dying High"
1983 The Renegades Lisa Primus Episode: "Back to School"
1983 CHiPs Anna Episode: "Things That Go Creep in the Night"
1983-1984 For Love and Honor Mary Lee Regular role (12 episodes)
1984 Riptide Sherry Meyers Episode: "The Hardcase"
1984 Blue Thunder Amy Braddock Episode: "The Long Flight"
1990 Tales from the Crypt Linda Episode: "The Switch"
1991 The Perfect Bride Laura TV film
1993 The American Clock Diana Marley
1994 Cheyenne Warrior Rebecca Carver
1996 Little Surprises Ginger TV short
2000 Bar Hopping Bebe TV film
2001 Fear Factor Herself Season 2 Episode 1
2004 Joey Donna Di Gregorio Episodes: "Joey and the Dream Girl: Parts 1 & 2"
2005 Fat Actress Quinn Taylor Scott Recurring role (4 episodes)
2008 Suburban Shootout Camilla Diamond Unsold TV pilot
2008 Medium Meghan Doyle Recurring role (4 episodes)
2008 The Tenth Circle Laura Stone TV film
2013 Adopted Karey
The Stafford Project Tabitha Episode: "White Secret"
2016 CSI: Cyber Greer Latimore Recurring role (3 episodes)
Music videos
Year Title Artist Role Ref.
2004 "She Will Be Loved" Maroon 5 Socialite/Mother
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