john travolta (57 posts)

John Travolta, nearing the end of the toughest year of his life, was able to put on a happy face today.

"I just want to take one moment to thank each and every one of you throughout this country, throughout the world, for all your support and all your love for our family. Thank you very much," Travolta said to kick off his interview with Ellen DeGeneres, which airs tomorrow.

The actor's 9-year-old daughter—and Old Dogs costar—Ella Bleu was also in the house, making her first-ever talk-show appearance.

Having sat out the publicity tour for The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, this was Travolta's first TV interview since he and Kelly Preston lost their 16-year-old son, Jett, in January.

Talking about Ella's good work alongside him (and her mom) and Robin Williams in the family comedy Old Dogs, a beaming Travolta couldn't keep his pride inside.

"I'm holding back the tears," he said.

"No, really you're not," Ellen deadpanned, offering up a box of tissues.

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UPDATE: Forbes will not face a contempt charge for opening his mouth without knowing what he was talking about.

"It is my opinion that you have suffered enough," Senior Justice Anita Allen said in court.
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When it comes to apologies, it's better late than never. When it comes to shooting off your mouth and marring the verdict of a closely watched international trial, never would have been a lot better than any time at all.

Picewell Forbes, the Bahamian MP whose loose lips resulted in a mistrial in John Travolta and Kelly Preston's $25 million extortion case, has finally offered his apologies for his televised and logic-defying declaration that the alleged extortionists had been cleared…before a verdict had actually been rendered.

"My statements were reckless and interfered with the course of justice in that case and were further capable of bringing disrepute to the whole administration of justice," Forbes told reporters during a brief press conference this morning.

Forbes took no questions, as the matter of his gaffe is still pending. His lawyer has maintained that the politico was simply repeating a rumor, though has not yet disclosed the source. A local radio personality as well as a member of parliament, Bahamian papers are speculating that Forbes could invoke journalistic privilege in not explaining how he came into the knowledge of the supposed verdict, though that argument would likely not stand.

He's due to appear in Nassau court on Thursday, when he could face a contempt charge. A retrial is slated to begin early next year.

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John Travolta may have made a career out of cliff-hangers, but this is probably not what he had in mind.

While Picewell Forbes, the Bahamian politico behind the mistrial in Travolta and Kelly Preston's $25 million extortion case, was ordered before a judge this morning. He was expected to be grilled on why he publicly announced there was an acquittal before the jury even finished deliberations and try his hardest not to be held in contempt.

Instead, he was given one more week to come up with something good. And no, "the dog ate my common sense" will probably not fly.

Bahamian Senior Justice Anita Allen told the Progressive Liberal Party MP that he has until next Thursday to enlighten the world—and the court—as to both the rationale and sourcing behind his justice-marring outburst.

"One can see that the fairness of the trial could have been compromised," Allen lectured him in court.

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AP Photo/Tim Aylen

It's safe to say Picewell Forbes has some serious 'splaining to do.

The man effectively responsible for screwing John Travolta and Kelly Preston out of a verdict in their monthlong $25 million extortion trial has been ordered to appear in Nassau court tomorrow morning to explain how—and just as importantly why—he managed to announce the acquittal of one of the alleged extortionists before a verdict had even been reached.

Not to mention offer up his best excuses for why he shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

Picewell Forbes, an MP with Bahamas' Progressive Liberal Party—the same party, incidentally, that defendant and former senator Pleasant Bridgewater is a member of—impulsively announced during a political convention last night that Bridgewater was "a free woman."

Problem was, she wasn't. Though even if she was about to be, the only people who should've known that were sequestered in a jury deliberation room.

Reeking, as it did, of juror misconduct, a mistrial was declared, the PLP party offered a lightning-quick apology and the Travoltas were a lot more gracious than they needed to be about the whole thing.

For his part, Forbes has yet to publicly comment on his preemptive announcement, but his attorney previously claimed he was simply caught up in the moment, repeating a rumor he had heard on the convention floor.

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AP Photo/Hendricks McIntosh

John Travolta is hanging tough.

Hours after a Bahamian judge declared a mistrial due to possible juror misconduct in the extortion case over the death of son Jett, the star is gearing up for another shot at former Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne, who tried to make off with a quick $25 million from the mourning Travolta and wife Kelly Preston.

The actor gave an emotional testimony last month chronicling the moments before and after he found his 16-year-old unconscious. And now, he's preparing to do it all over again.

"We are disappointed to hear about the alleged juror misconduct, since we know that the Bahamian government, the court, the other jurors and John Travolta as the victim want to have this matter adjudicated through the judicial system," Travolta's rep, Sam Mast, tells E! News. "Mr. Travolta has and will continue to cooperate with the Bahamian authorities in the prosecution of the defendants for extortion."

Travolta's lawyer, Michael Ossi, confirmed yesterday that the star is "committed to seeing justice served" and would be willing to return to the Bahamas to testify in the retrial, which has yet to be scheduled.

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AP Photo/Kris Ingraham

John Travolta's nightmare continues.

Suspecting juror misconduct, a Bahamian judge has declared a mistrial in the case of two people accused of trying to extort $25 million from Travolta's family after a local politician said in a speech played on radio and TV that former Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater had been acquitted.

Well, who the heck told him that?!

Closing arguments concluded this morning and the case went to the jury shortly afterward.

"The dilemma that we face is great," Senior Justice Anita Allen told the court. "I am erring on the side of caution. Justice must be transparent."

Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne pleaded not guilty for allegedly trying to get Travolta and Kelly Preston to pay for their silence regarding so-called damning details related to their son Jett's death.

Travolta's attorney, Michael Ossi, said his client will fully cooperate with future proceedings and testify again if need be.

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AP Photo/Kris Ingraham

John Travolta's peace of mind is now in the hands of a dozen Bahamians.

The jury is expected to begin deliberations today in the case of two locals who allegedly targeted Travolta and Kelly Preston with a $25 million extortion scheme following the death of son Jett.

Exactly one month after the trial began, closing arguments wrapped up in Nassau court this morning. The Travoltas were not present, having long since departed from the island (and absconded to England with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes for a Scientology bonanza) after the actor's emotional testimony was complete.

Former Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne have both pleaded not guilty.

The defense implored the jury to "set my people free," floating the theory during the trial that Travolta's attorney, with "evil in his heart," had come to the Bahamas with a plan to "corner" and "set up" the defendants.

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A week after he first took the stand to recount his son's death, John Travolta was back testifying in the Bahamas this morning.

This time around, rather than focusing on the emotional morning he discovered 16-year-old son Jett unconscious, Travolta talked the specifics of the purported plot targeting him and wife Kelly Preston.

The star said that once he was tipped off by one of his employees, Ronald Zupancic, that former senator Pleasant Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne were trying to extort $25 million from his mourning family, he immediately consulted with his lawyer, Michael McDermott.

While he was never directly approached by Bridgewater or Lightbourne, Travolta said he learned that unless he handed over hush money, the duo threatened to go public with information "imply[ing] that the death of my son was intentional and I was culpable in some way."

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AP Photo/Kris Ingraham

In what will no doubt go down as the second most difficult day of his year, John Travolta took the stand this morning in the trial of two Bahamians allegedly involved in a $25 million extortion plot against his family.

A grim Travolta and Kelly Preston arrived at a Bahamian courthouse this morning escorted by a fleet of security.

The actor took the stand and immediately began revisiting the moments before his 16-year-old son Jett's death on Jan. 2.

Jett's nanny awakened Travolta and Preston at roughly 10:15 a.m., the actor said, informing them that Jett was unconscious in his bathroom.

"He was pounding on the door upstairs where we were sleeping. I ran downstairs with my wife to help my son," Travolta recalled, adding that when he got to him, one of the boy's caretakers was already performing chest compressions.

The actor quickly jumped into action and began administering CPR to his son, whom he also acknowledged on the stand suffered not only from Kawasaki disease, but from autism as well.

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Courtesy of Travolta Family

With the recent spate of celebrity deaths, it's easy to forget one of the first and most heart-wrenching of 2009: John Travolta and Kelly Preston losing their 16-year-old son, Jett.

But the Bahamian New Providence Supreme Court has remembered: A nine-person jury was selected today in the alleged $25 million extortion plot against the Travolta family.

Former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne will stand trial in proceedings expected to last three weeks.

Travolta may also be making a cameo appearance, perhaps as soon as this week—his name is at the top of the 14-person list of potential witnesses. Testimony is expected to begin Tuesday.

Bridgewater and Lightbourne have both pleaded not guilty to respective extortion counts. They could also have been rung up on charges of being dumb...

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Courtesy of Travolta Family

Last week, John Travolta finally emerged in public and thanked fans for their support in the wake of son Jett's death. Next week, he is expected to relive that horrific experience.

As we previously reported, Travolta is a key prosecution witness in the extortion case against the paramedic who administered to Jett and then allegedly tried to shake down Travolta and wife Kelly Preston. The long-delayed case finally begins Monday, and John Travolta plans to be there.

The 55-year-old actor, who has been in Los Angeles for some preliminary publicity for his upcoming film Old Dogs, is said to be planning to fly to Nassau to testify against ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne and his lawyer, former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater.

They are accused of demanding $25 million not to release the information to the public.

Jett died Jan. 2 after suffering a seizure at the family's Bahamian retreat.

(Originally published Sept. 19, 2009, at 8:38 p.m. PT)

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John Travolta made a surprise appearance with his wife and daughter at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim today to promote their new movie, Old Dogs. This is the first public event for Travolta since the tragic death of his 16-year-old son, Jett, in January.

"We appreciate the love," he said quietly to the crowd of fans, who gave the star and his family a standing ovation.

Wife and Dogs costar Kelly Preston kept her hand on the shoulder of daughter (and other costar) Ella Bleu, while Disney chair Dick Cook complimented the whole family's performance in the movie.

When asked if he planned to do more Disney movies, Bolt star Travolta replied, "I'd like to do seven or eight more."

Old Dogs casts Travolta and Robin Williams as two big-business bachelors who, when one discovers he has a set of twins, have to adapt their kiddie-free style.

In June, Travolta bowed out of the press tour for his new film The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 because he and his family needed "additional time to reconcile [their] loss."

Gotta say, it's great to see his family healing and back to work.

(Originally published on Sept. 11 at 3:14 p.m. PT)

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