Celebrity Celebrity Family Celebrity Parenting John Travolta on His Kids' Lives Now: Ella is 'Generous and Gorgeous' and Ben Loves Fishing and Tennis John Travolta currently stars in the thriller, The Fanatic, and opens up about his kids' lives now. By Mia McNiece Mia McNiece Mia McNiece joined PEOPLE in 2010 and is currently the Senior Movies Editor. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 30, 2019 08:00AM EDT John Travolta has been acting for more than 40 years, but these days, the role that makes him happiest is being dad to daughter Ella Bleu, 19, and son Ben, 8, with his wife of 27 years, actress Kelly Preston, 56. Travolta says he couldn’t be prouder of his daughter, who has decided to follow in the footsteps of her famous parents and pursue acting. She recently starred in The Poison Rose, a thriller that starred her father and Morgan Freeman. Gisela Schober/Getty “She is her own person. She is gracious, generous, poised, graceful and gorgeous. I don’t know how she came to be, and I don’t take any credit other than just adoring her,” says Travolta. “And maybe that’s a valid contribution.” For more on John Travolta pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE on newsstands now. Meanwhile, he says his son Ben, is also keeping busy with several hobbies of his own. “He’s into gymnastics, tennis, fishing and the computer world, like all the kids,” says Travolta RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC The actor, 65, who currently stars in the thriller The Fanatic, playing a rabid fan who is obsessed with his favorite action star, adds that he believes it’s important to let kids be able to speak their mind. “I really do believe that children have rights. Just because they are little bodies doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have a say-so,” he says. “I find when you consult them, they can come up with much better ideas than yours.” The Fanatic is in theaters now.