John Travolta surprised with honorary Palme d’Or in Cannes

CANNES, France (AP) — John Travolta was surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or on the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his directorial debut Friday.

Thierry Frémaux, the pageant’s creative director, introduced out the award for Travolta simply earlier than the screening of his “Propeller One-Way Night Coach.” A visibly moved Travolta clutched his chest whereas Frémaux offered the trophy.

“You said this would be a special night, but I didn’t know it would mean this,” Travolta mentioned to Frémaux.

“This is beyond the Oscar!” exclaimed Travolta.

Clad in a white beret, Travolta walked the Cannes purple carpet with his 26-year-old daughter Ella Bleu Travolta. The actor wrote, directed and co-produced “Propeller One-Way Night Coach,” primarily based on his personal 1997 kids’s novel.

Cannes has typically beforehand surprised friends with an honorary Palme d’Or. It unexpectedly gave one to Tom Cruise in 2022. At this yr’s pageant, the “Lord of the Rings” filmmaker Peter Jackson was given one in the opening ceremony. Barbara Streisand is to obtain one later in the course of the pageant.