Kelly Preston

Complete biography of Kelly Preston: life, career and legacy of a Hollywood star

Kelly Preston, an American actress and model known for her charm on the big screen and her lasting marriage to Hollywood icon John Travolta, left deep memories in the entertainment world. His life, which was marked by career successes and personal tragedies, made him an unforgettable figure. She passed away on July 12, 2020 at the age of 57 after battling breast cancer.

Personal life: from Hawaii to the world stage

Born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith on October 13, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii, her middle name means “flower garden” in Hawaiian. His childhood was marked by various displacements due to the work of his stepfather, Peter Palzis, a military personnel. After his biological father died when he was three years old, his mother, Linda Carlson, remarried. Preston had lived in Iraq and Australia before settling in the United States.

His love journey is in the media spotlight. Before finding her true love, Preston was married to actor Kevin Gage in 1985, but the marriage ended in 1987. She has also been in relationships with famous actors such as George Clooney and Charlie Sheen.

In 1991, Preston married John Travolta in Paris. Their marriage was known as one of the most solid in Hollywood, lasting almost 30 years until the end of Preston's life. From this marriage, they had three children: Jett, Ella Bleu, and Benjamin. However, this family had to face a deep tragedy when their eldest son, Jett, passed away at the age of 16 in 2009.

Career journey: from advertising to the big screen

Kelly Preston's talent was discovered when she was 16 years old in Australia by a fashion photographer. This brought him into the world of advertising and paved the way for his acting career. He adopted the name “Preston” when he debuted in the role world.

Preston began his career in television by appearing in several TV series before finally making his way into the film industry. Some of the films that catapulted his name at the beginning of his career include “Mischief” (1985), “Secret Admirer” (1985), and popular comedy "Twins” (1988) in which he co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.

Throughout his career spanning more than three decades, Preston has starred in more than 60 film and television productions. Her most iconic roles include as Avery Bishop in the Oscar-nominated film “Jerry Maguire” (1996), as well as his appearances in films such as “For Love of the Game” (1999), “The Cat in the Hat” (2003), and “Sky High” (2005). She has also acted several times with her husband, John Travolta, in films “The Experts” (1989), “Battlefield Earth” (2000), and biographical film “Gotti” (2018), in which they play a married couple.

Achievements and awards

Although Kelly Preston has had a long and consistent career, her award record is marred by nominations from the Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzie Awards), a parody event that awards the worst films.

• Win:
  • Golden Raspberry Award 2001: Worst Supporting Actress for the movie”Battlefield Earth".
• Nominations:
  • Golden Raspberry Award 2004: Aktris Pendukung Terburuk untuk film “The Cat in the Hat”.
  • Golden Raspberry Award 2010: Worst Supporting Actress for the movie”Old Dogs".
  • Golden Raspberry Award 2019: Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Screen partner (with John Travolta) for the movie “Gotti”.

Interesting Facts

• Unique original name: Her birth name, Kelly Kamalelehua Smith, reflects her Hawaiian heritage.
• Early career in Australia: His talent was first discovered while he was living in Australia.
• Appearances in Video clips: Preston tampil sebagai model dalam video klip lagu populer Maroon 5, “She Will Be Loved”.
• Secrets Of A Lasting Marriage: In an interview, Preston revealed that communication, openness and always maintaining freshness in the household are the secrets of her long-lasting marriage to John Travolta. She admired her husband's sense of humor and ability to dance.