John Travolta explained his bold looks at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, particularly, his choice to rock different colored berets.
The actor, 72, first caused a stir with his choice of headgear Friday, when he sported a slouchy white beret and spectacles at the premiere of his directorial debut, “Propeller One-Way Night Coach.”
He followed it up the next day with with a black beret paired with black wire-rimmed glasses at the film’s photocall Saturday.
Travolta explained that he came up with the much-talked-about outfits because he wanted to present himself as a director and not an actor.
“I said, ‘I’m a director this time. You’re an actor, play the part of a director, look like an old-school director,’” he explained to CNN.
“So I looked up pictures from the ’20, ’30s, ’40s, ’50, ’60s, and the old-school directors wore berets, and the glasses, and I thought, ‘That’s what I’m doing. I’m doing an homage to being a director, so I’m going to play the part of being a director.’”
The A-lister said he wanted to be able to look back at his outfits and remember the moment.
“I’ll know — ‘Oh, that was ‘Propeller One-Way Night Coach,’ that was Cannes, that’s when I won the Palme d’Or,’ and I’ll have a vividness of it,” he shared with a smile.
Travolta was presented with an honorary Cannes Palme d’Or — the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award — at this year’s annual festival.
“I’ve never been more proud to win an award!” he posted on Instagram Friday of the achievement. “To me the Cannes Palme d’Or award has always represented art at its finest. It is beyond a humbling experience.”
His 26-year-old daughter, Ella — who stars in “Propeller One-Way Night Coach” alongside her father — commented, “I’m so proud of you❤️.”
“Propeller One-Way Night Coach” follows a young airplane enthusiast named Jeff and his mother, who go on a one-way, cross-country journey to Hollywood.
It’s based on his own 1997 children’s novel of the same name.
Ella, who’s been by her dad’s side promoting the film at Cannnes, plays a flight attendant in the film.

