- John Travolta, who attended the festival to promote his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, appeared in a sharp suit paired with a beret on three consecutive occasions.
- John Travolta explained that the look was a tribute to legendary old-school filmmakers.
- John Travolta shared that the fashion choice was also a way to distinguish this chapter of his career from his decades-long acting journe
John Travolta, the acclaimed face in classics Pulp Fiction, Grease and Saturday Night Fever, turned heads with his unique style at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2026. The actor, who attended the festival to promote his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, appeared in a sharp suit paired with a beret on three consecutive occasions.
As the pictures and videos reached social media, fans started the online chatter about Travolta's headgear and memes started spreading across platforms. Now, the Hollywood icon has finally revealed the inspiration behind the viral beret look that sparked a frenzy online.
In an interview with CNN, the actor-turned-director explained that the look was a tribute to legendary old-school filmmakers. When he looked at the pictures from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, he thought he should have that look as well.
“The old school directors wore berets and glasses. And I thought, that's what I'm doing. I'm gonna do an homage to being a director,” Travolta said, adding that he had studied photographs of directors from the 1920s through the 1960s before deciding on the style.
The actor further shared that the fashion choice was also a way to distinguish this chapter of his career from his decades-long acting journey.
“I've been around for over 50 years doing movies, but I can't tell, when I look back, the difference between the events,” he said, adding, “I'm a director this time. You're an actor, play the part of a director. Look like an old school director.”
Travolta further noted that the memorable look would help him associate the moment with his first major directing venture.
“So I'm gonna play the part of being a director, and then when I look back, I'll know, ‘Oh, that was Propeller One-Way Night Coach, that was Cannes, that was when I won the Palme d‘Or.' And I will have vividness of it,'” he explained.
Though Travolta did not mention a specific inspiration, the look may have been influenced by acclaimed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who is famously associated with berets.
All We Know About Propeller One-Way Night Coach
Propeller One-Way Night Coach follows a young aviation enthusiast named Jeff and his mother who embark on a cross-country flight to Hollywood that evolves into a life-changing journey filled with unexpected moments. Executive produced by Mark Marraccini, the film is based on Travolta's 1997 children's book of the same name.
The film is set to stream globally on Apple TV from May 29.