Celebrity Celebrity Relationships Celebrity Married Life John Travolta and Kelly Preston's Relationship Timeline John Travolta and Kelly Preston had an instant connection when they first met on the set of the 1989 film 'The Experts' By Diane J. Cho Diane J. Cho Diane J. Cho is the former features editor of PEOPLE, covering news, features, human interest and more. She left PEOPLE in 2022 People Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 14, 2024 10:54PM EDT Close Left: Kelly Preston and John Travolta pose for a promotional photo for 1989's 'The Experts'; Right: John Travolta and Kelly Preston celebrate their 28th anniversary in September 2019. Photo: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Kelly Preston/ Instagram John Travolta and the late Kelly Preston met at a screen test for their 1989 comedy, The Experts, while Preston was still married to actor Kevin Gage. Preston was married to her SpaceCamp costar, Gage, in 1985, but the two split after only two years of marriage. Then, Preston briefly moved in with George Clooney until they called it quits in 1989 and was briefly engaged to actor Charlie Sheen (who proposed with a 25-carat diamond ring) until 1990. Travolta and Preston got married in 1991, and the couple remained together for nearly 30 years until Preston died of breast cancer at 57 on July 12, 2020. Before her death, Preston told PEOPLE in 2018 about one of the couple's favorite 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," she said. "It's good to be married to a pilot!" From costarring in films together and welcoming daughter Ella Bleu to celebrating anniversaries and tragically losing their son Jett, here's everything to know about John Travolta and Kelly Preston's relationship. 01 of 14 1987: John Travolta and Kelly Preston meet while filming The Experts Kelly Preston shares photo with John Travolta on Instagram on May 31, 2018. Kelly Preston/Instagram Though Travolta has often said it was love at first sight, when asked by Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live in 2018, Preston said, "Kinda." She continued, "Well, I was not that happily married, let's put it that way. I was really with the wrong person." When Cohen asked Preston what the best and worst part of being married to Travolta is, the actress said, "There's too many best things. His lips, dancing, fun, laughing. [We dance] all the time, all the time. The kids dance with us, we go out dancing. We love it." 02 of 14 1990-1991: John Travolta and Kelly Preston begin dating John Travolta and Kelly Preston share a kiss in Paris in September 1991. ARNAL/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Once Preston was single again, Travolta swooped in to sweep her off her feet. On New Year's Eve 1991, Travolta got down on one knee inside the Palace Hotel restaurant in Gstaad, Switzerland, and proposed with a six-carat yellow-and-white diamond ring. Look Who's Talking Too (1990) producer Jonathan Krane said even Preston was surprised by the sudden proposal. When Travolta popped the question, Krane said, "She screamed." Shortly after, Preston eagerly told Entertainment Tonight the two "plan to have some babies." "We're practicing right now," she said during her 1991 interview with the outlet. "This could be barefoot and pregnant for the next 10 years." 03 of 14 September 5, 1991: John Travolta and Kelly Preston get married Kelly Preston and John Travolta at Deaville film festival in Deauville, France, on Sept. 8, 1991. Pool BENAINOUS/REGLAIN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Preston was two months pregnant with the couple's son Jett when they tied the knot on Sept. 5, 1991, by a Scientology minister. They said their "I dos" in an unannounced ceremony at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris. They later got married for a second time on U.S. soil in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Sept. 12. 04 of 14 Late 1991: John Travolta and Kelly Preston attend Scientology event in Los Angeles Kelly Preston and John Travolta at the opening of the Church of Scientology Museum in L.A. in 1991. Joan Adlen/Getty Images Travolta and Preston are seen enjoying married life at the opening of the Church of Scientology Museum in L.A. in 1991. Travolta has been a member of the Church of Scientology since 1975. 05 of 14 April 3, 2000: John Travolta and Kelly Preston welcome daughter Ella Bleu Kelly Preston, daughter Ella Bleu and John Travolta attend the L.A. premiere of 'Be Cool' at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Feb. 14, 2005. On April 3, 2000, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter named Ella Bleu. The only daughter of Travolta and Preston decided to follow in her parent's footsteps to become an actress, starring in the 2019 film The Poison Rose alongside her famous father and Morgan Freeman. Proud mom Preston posted on Instagram to celebrate her daughter's rise as an actress, writing, "Still in absolute awe of my stunning daughter @ella.travolta I just re-watched all of her interviews this past week doing press for #thepoisonrose and she has jumped into 'the family business' as an absolute natural." "I am beyond proud of her and all of her accomplishments, but most of all I am proud and honored to have her as my daughter," Preston added. "I love you and congratulations." 06 of 14 October 10, 2002: John Travolta and Kelly Preston celebrate her 40th birthday John Travolta surprises wife Kelly Preston with a birthday cake at the 'One World, One Child Benefit Concert' in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Oct. 10, 2002. Throughout the marriage, their busy careers and raising their children, Travolta and Preston always made time for each other, especially on birthdays. In 2002, Travolta surprised Preston with a 40th birthday cake at the "One World, One Child Benefit Concert" for the Children's Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC) in 2002. 07 of 14 January 2, 2009: John Travolta and Kelly Preston's son Jett dies Kelly Preston, Jett and John Travolta in a photo shared on Instagram on April 5, 2019. Kelly Preston/Instagram In 2009, their oldest son, Jett, died while on vacation in the Bahamas with the family. He suffered a seizure and hit his head in a bathtub. He was 16. "[John] never dreamed of this â their relationship was so close," said family attorney Mike Ossi. "He always said, 'I'm happy as long as my kids are happy.' He is heartbroken. To bury your son is the worst thing you can ever do." 08 of 14 November 23, 2010: John Travolta and Kelly Preston welcome son Benjamin Kelly Preston and John Travolta pose with their children Ella Bleu (right) and Benjamin at the screening of 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' during the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2018. Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images In November 2010, the couple welcomed another little boy Benjamin, who helped Preston, Travolta and daughter Ella Bleu move forward and find joy again. "He's given the house a renewed spirit and purpose," the actor told PEOPLE in 2011. Travolta later said in an interview in 2016 on Good Morning America, "Certainly having little Ben has been a beautiful kind of glue for us to rebond after tremendous loss." 09 of 14 February 18, 2019: John Travolta and Kelly Preston celebrate his 65th birthday with family Ella (left), Benjamin, John Travolta and Kelly Preston (right). The Travolta-Preston family continued to remain close as they celebrated big life events together, including Travolta's 65th birthday on Feb. 18, 2019. 10 of 14 September 5, 2019: John Travolta and Kelly Preston celebrate 28th anniversary John Travolta and Kelly Preston celebrate their 28th anniversary in September 2019. John Travolta/Instagram After experiencing many highs and lows, the two were still madly in love with each other nearly three decades later. The couple celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary, sharing sweet Instagram tributes on Sept. 5, 2019. Travolta posted a photo of himself and his wife hugging at dinner, writing, "Happy Anniversary to my wonderful wife âĽď¸ @therealkellypreston." Preston shared the same photo but wrote a lengthy, heartfelt note to her husband. "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 lows," she wrote. She added, "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 💕âĽď¸." On July 12, 2020, Travolta announced via Instagram that his beloved wife had died at the age of 57 after living with breast cancer for two years. "Kelly's love and life will always be remembered," the actor wrote. 11 of 14 October 13, 2020: John Travolta celebrates Kelly Preston's birthday Left: John Travolta's parents on their wedding day; Right: Kelly Preston and John Travolta on their wedding day in September 1991. John Travolta Instagram On Oct. 13, 2020, three months after his wife's passing, Travolta shared a throwback photo on Instagram in honor of what would have been Preston's 58th birthday. The sweet post is a side-by-side of the pair on their wedding day and Travolta's mother and father on theirs. He captioned the photo, "Happy Birthday hon! I found this photo of my mom and dad's wedding. It was nice to see ours alongside theirs. All my love, John." 12 of 14 October 13, 2021: John Travolta honors Kelly Preston on her birthday Kelly Preston during a photocall for the film "Gotti" at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2018. LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty The following year, in 2021, Travolta paid tribute to his late wife on her birthday by sharing a lovely photo of Preston on his Instagram with a sweet message: "Happy Birthday Kelly. We miss and love you very much." 13 of 14 May 8, 2022: John Travolta wishes Kelly Preston a Happy Mother's Day Ella Bleu shares throwback photo with mom Kelly Preston on Instagram on May 8, 2022. Ella Bleu Travolta Instagram Travolta celebrated Mother's Day in 2022 with an Instagram video post that memorialized Preston with the caption: "We love and miss you Kelly. Happy Mother's Day đâ¤ď¸." The video he shared featured a montage of photographs of Preston, along with images of the pair's three children and Travolta himself. Ella also posted on Instagram for Mother's Day with a throwback photo, writing, "I've learned a lot from all of the strong and powerful women in my life, I thank you all for being such wonderful role models. I miss and love you, mama. Happy Mothers to all of the wonderful moms out there!đ." 14 of 14 September 5, 2023: John Travolta honors wedding anniversary with the late Kelly Preston Left: Kelly Preston and John Travolta attend New York premiere of 'Gotti' on June 15, 2018; Right: Ella Bleu, in a photo shared by John Travolta on Instagram on Sept. 5, 2023. Dave Kotinsky/Getty; John Travolta/Instagram In honor of his wedding anniversary, Travolta posted a video of daughter Ella Bleu on Instagram in 2023. The actor captioned the clip, "Our baby girl Ella in celebration of Kelly's and my wedding anniversary - I'm so proud of you!! I know mama would be too!" "I love you both so muchâ¤ď¸," Ella commented.