Kelly Preston, actress and wife of John Travolta, dies at 57

Preston had been battling breast cancer for 2 years

By AP

Published: Mon 13 Jul 2020, 10:35 AM

Last updated: Mon 13 Jul 2020, 5:45 PM

Kelly Preston, who played dramatic and comic foil to actors ranging from Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire to Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins, died Sunday, husband John Travolta said. She was 57.
Travolta said in an Instagram post Sunday that his wife of 28 years died after a two-year battle with breast cancer.
"It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer," Travolta said. "She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many."

View this post on Instagram
It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side. Kelly's love and life will always be remembered. I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don't hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal. All my love, JT
A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta) on Jul 12, 2020 at 10:20pm PDT

They had three children together.
"Shocked by this sad news," Maria Shriver said on Twitter. "Kelly was such a bright loving soul, a talented actress, and a loving mom and wife. My heart breaks for her family who have already known such sadness and grief."

Shocked by this sad news. Kelly was such a bright loving soul, a talented actress, and a loving mom and wife. My heart breaks for her family who have already known such sadness and grief. Join me in sending them love and strength. #RIP #KellyPreston https://t.co/DndcfOtlOn
- Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) July 13, 2020

Preston had a lengthy acting career in movies and television, at times appearing together in films with her husband, as they did in the box-office bomb Battlefield Earth in 2000.
Russell Crowe tweeted that he met Preston "first in late '92 I think," adding, "In 1995 we auditioned together for Breaking Up, Salma Hayek got that gig." Crowe said he hadn't seen Preston much, "but when I did, she was always the same sparkly eyed gem."

Kelly Preston.
Can't remember where, but, met first in late '92 I think.
Such a lovely person. In 1995 we auditioned together for Breaking Up, Salma Hayek got that gig.
I havent seen her much, but when I did, she was always the same sparkly eyed gem.
Love to her family.
R.I.P
- Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) July 13, 2020

Preston starred opposite Kevin Costner in the 1999 film For the Love of the Game, and in 2004 appeared in the music video for Maroon 5's She Will Be Loved.
She had frequent guest-starring roles on TV series like Medium, CSI: Cyber and Joey.
Preston and Travolta were married at a midnight ceremony in Paris in 1991 while the couple were expecting their first son, Jett.
In January 2009, Jett Travolta, 16, died after a seizure at the family's vacation home in the Bahamas. The death touched off a court case after an ambulance driver and his attorney were accused of trying to extort $25 million from the actors in exchange for not releasing sensitive information about their son's death.
Travolta testified during a criminal trial that ended in a mistrial and was prepared to testify a second time, but decided to stop pursuing the case. He cited the severe strain the case and his son's death had caused the family.
Both Preston and Travolta returned to acting, with Preston's first role back in the Nicholas Sparks adaptation, The Last Song, which starred Miley Cyrus and her future husband, Liam Hemsworth.
They had two other children, daughter Ella Bleu in 2000 and son Benjamin in 2010.
Travolta and Preston met while filming 1988's The Experts.
They last starred together in the 2018 film Gotti, with Travolta playing John Gotti and Preston playing the crime boss's wife, Victoria.
"Kelly's love and life will always be remembered," Travolta wrote on Instagram. "I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don't hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal."
Preston's death was first reported by People magazine.