Photo: Youtube
She's their oldest living child.
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Jul 13, 2020
On July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston passed away after a private two-year battle with breast cancer. She was 57 years old.
In the wake of her death, her eldest surviving child has made headlines of her own after posting a heartfelt tribute to her "mama," with whom she was very close.
Who is Ella Bleu Travolta, Kelly Preston and John Travola's daughter?
Like her mom and dad, she is an actress.
While she isn't as well known as her late mother, Kelly Preston, or her famous father, John Travolta, Ella Bleu Travolta does have a few acting credits to her name. In 2009, she starred in the independent film Emily and in 2019, she starred in the film Old Dogs. She also has appeared on several television shows, including Entertainment Tonight and The Talk.
She's close with her family.
A quick look at her Instagram page reveals that Ella Travolta is very close with her family. Unlike many teenagers her age, there aren't a lot of selfies on her page — most of the photos are either "throwbacks" of herself with her father, mother, and siblings, or current photos of the family on vacation.
Her father admitted to being a "stage dad."
Perhaps in the hopes that he'd be able to help his daughter navigate the difficult nature of the entertainment industry, John Travolta admitted in an interview that he was very much a "stage dad" when it came to Ella Travolta's burgeoning career in the entertainment industry. "I am ridiculous. I am behind the camera, mouthing every word she says, and doing her moves. My wife, Kelly [Preston], gets hysterical watching me watch her, because I just want it to go great," he said.
She is also very close with her father.
John Travolta said that his daughter goes to him for advice on everything. "We have a great father-daughter relationship and I really trust her. She still calls me to ask if she should go to a movie in a certain neck of the woods and I will say go to the 7 p.m. but not the 10:40 p.m. I love that she still calls me about these things," John Travolta said.
Thanks to her father, she met some pretty big celebrities.
One of the perks of being the daughter of an acting legend is that you get to meet other famous people. Such was the case when Ella Travolta met Taylor Lautner, of the Twilight series, whom she met when she was a little girl. Ella said that her father "embarrassed her" by telling Taylor Lautner that she was "researching" him, and that's how they got to take a photo together.
Ella Travolta enjoyed a close relationship with her mom Kelly Preston as well.
In fact, Kelly Preston told her daughter that it was important for her to "not let anyone take advantage of her" and to have integrity in her life and her artwork, as well. Ella Travolta also said that it was thanks to her parents' support that she was able to pursue her dreams of being an actress like her parents.
She had an older brother, Jett, who died in 2009.
Though Ella Travolta is the oldest of John Travolta and Kelly Preston's surviving children, she did have an older brother, Jett Travolta. However, in January 2009, while the family was on vacation, Jett Travolta suffered a seizure and hit his head on the bathtub. He subsequently died from his injuries. And though it was suspected that Jett Travolta suffered from autism while he was alive, it wasn't something that either Travolta or Preston discussed while their son was alive.
She paid tribute to her mother in a moving Instagram post.
On July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. Ella paid tribute to her in a touching Instagram post. "I have never met anyone as courageous, strong, beautiful and loving as you. Anyone who is lucky enough to have known you or to have ever been in your presence will agree that you have a glow and a light that never ceases to shine and that makes anyone around you feel instantly happy. Thank you for being there for me no matter what. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your help and thank you for making this world a better place. You have made life so beautiful and I know you will continue to do so always. I love you so much mama," she wrote.
Our thoughts are with Kelly Preston's family and friends during this undoubtedly difficult time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.