John Travolta is preparing to introduce his daughter Ella Bleu to the world as a movie star. The 72-year-old first-time actor and director premiered his new film Propeller One-Way Night Coach at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival earlier this month alongside Ella, 26, who plays a lead role in the film.
The premiere was a big moment for both, as Cannes surprised Travolta with an honorary Palme d’Or, the festival’s highest honor, after the world premiere on Friday, May 15.Speaking with PEOPLE in Cannes on Sunday, Travolta spoke about his daughter’s casting and what he hopes the film will mean for her career.
John Travolta talks about casting Ella Bleu in Propeller One-Way Night Coach.
In the film, Ella plays a flight attendant named Doris, who forms an unforgettable bond with the film’s main character, a young boy named Jeff, played by Clark Shotwell, during a cross-country flight.
Travolta told the outlet that casting Ella in the role was ultimately “just a split.”He added: “Doris is the one the little boy fell in love with. I said: ‘Ella is more suited to this magical connection that this little boy feels.'” “It was serendipitous that everything worked out so well. And Ella has this screen presence of Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly that I thought this is what we needed for Doris because this little boy, he fell in love.”
He added: “The little boy fell in love with Ella, so there was no acting at all. It also gave me an opportunity to present Ella in the light that I wanted the world to see because I wanted A Star Is Born to be, and it really was. It’s really clear now. People agree with me about Ella in this movie.”
About the movie Propeller One-Way Night Coach and John Travolta’s directorial debut
Propeller One-Way Night Coach marks Travolta’s directorial debut. The film is based on a book he published in 1997 and is inspired by his lifelong love of flying.
In addition to acting and filmmaking, Travolta is a trained pilot.Ella Bleu made her screen debut in 2009 in her father’s film ‘Old Dogs’ and also appeared alongside him in the 2019 film ‘The Poison Rose’. The film is currently streaming.
Ella Blue talks about working with her father
Ella told the publication that the father-daughter dynamic doesn’t get in the way of their professional relationship on set. “I think we put on our professional hats,” she said. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, Dad, I don’t want to do that.’”
It’s like, “Okay, what do you think, how was that?” And “Oh, try this or try that.” And then I’ll try something, and then it’ll be very honest, and I’ll be very honest. So it was very collaborative.
There was nothing added or anything deleted that was unnecessary. “It was very natural.”Travolta echoed this sentiment, noting that their previous collaborations made things easier. We’ve worked together twice before, once in Old Dogs with Robin Williams, and then in The Poison Rose. So we were used to being professionals together.”The film premiered at Cannes 2026 and is now streaming on Apple TV.
