Kelly Preston

Synopsis

Born on October 13, 1962, Kelly Preston is American actress and former model who has appeared in over sixty television shows and films combined. She is most famous for her work in Mischief in 1985, Space Camp in 1986, Twins in 1988, and Jerry Maguire in 1996. 

Preston works as a spokeswoman for Neutrogena and has also featured in a number of TV advertisements. She starred in some critically acclaimed short movies like the Academy Award-nominated Little Surprises in 1996. 

Preston is married to John Travolta for over 26 years. The couple is blessed with three children.

Early Life And Education

Kelly Preston was born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith on October 13, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father worked for an agricultural firm while her mother Linda worked at a mental health center as an administrator. Her father died from drowning when Kelly was only 3.

Later Preston’s mother married a personnel director Peter Palzis, who adopted Kelly and with whose name she began her acting career until 1984. She has a younger half-brother, Chris Palzis. She was raised in both Iraq and Australia. She attended Pembroke School in Adelaide, South Australia.

Preston joined Punahou School before she went on to study drama and theater at the University of Southern California. She belongs to American nationality and ethnicity wise, she has English, Irish, German, and Scottish ancestry.

Professional Career

At the age of 16, Kelly Preston was discovered by a fashion photographer who helped her get work in ads and even set up an audition for Brooke Shields' character in The Blue Lagoon, in 1980. In the early part of her career, she began her career appearing in a number of television advertisements and supporting roles in TV and film.

Preston first gained international attention for her portrayal of Marilyn McCauley in romantic comedy teen flick Mischief. In 1985, she played the role of Deborah Anne Fimple in another teen romantic comedy film, Secret Admirer.

Preston gained further popularity after playing the role of Marnie Mason in Ivan Reitman's Twins, in 1988, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Over the ensuing years, she appeared in several movies, including Amazon Women on the Moon, The Experts, and Cheyenne Warrior.

She featured in a 2000 film Battlefield Earth, portraying the girlfriend of the protagonist Terl which was played by her husband, John Travolta. She also garnered "Worst Supporting Actress" at the 21st Golden Raspberry Awards for her outstanding performance in the movie.

Kelly Preston shared the screen alongside Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and  Kurt Russell, in a 2005 American superhero comedy movie Sky High. Before acting in TV and film, she also appeared in the American pop rock band Maroon 5's music video of She Will Be Loved in 2004.

Preston appeared in a television pilot for a potential show called Suburban Shootout, in 2008. She is working as a spokeswoman for Neutrogena since 2005. Besides, she also appears in TV commercials and prints.

Net Worth and Height

Kelly Preston stands at the height of 1.68m (5ft 6inch).

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Preston has an estimated net worth of around $20 million, as of February 2018. Her husband, John Travolta, on the other hand, has an estimated net worth around $170 million.

Preston owns a house in Ocala, Florida. As per some credible sources, the house was bought for more than $4 million, and it has two runways that lead directly to her front door. She owns 1969 Mercedes 280sl worth more than $73,000.

Preston’s husband Travolta is a certified private pilot who owns five aircraft.

Here is the list of her commercially successful movies.

Charity Work

Preston is actively involved in many different charitable projects, including education and drug reform. As a result of her work, she has been awarded several prestigious awards and recognition.

Preston appeared on the Montel Williams show to promote L. Ron Hubbard's Purification Rundown, in 2003. She claimed that the organization helped her son Jett who pa s sed away in 2009.

Personal Life

Kelly Preston has been married to actor and film producer John Travolta since 1991. The couple had three children, but after their son, Jett's demise is left with a daughter Ella Bleu, and son Benjamin. She met her husband Travolta on the sets of The Experts, in 1987 and began dating in the same year. 

After more than four years of dating, Preston and her husband Travolta tied the knot on September 5, 1991. The couple organized their wedding ceremony at the Hotel de Crillon. Sadly their son Jett died of a seizure as a result of Kawasaki Syndrome, on January 2, 2009, who was born in 1992. At the time, the family was on vacation in the Bahamas. 

Jett allegedly hit his head in the family’s bathtub in their Bahamas’ home. He was also diagnosed with the ‘Kawasaki disease’ and had autism as well as suffered regular seizures.

Three people were arrested: Obie Wilchcombe, Tarino Lightbourne and a Bahamian senator, Pleasant Bridgewater, in connection with a multimillion-dollar extortion plot against Travolta and Preston relating to the circ u mstances of their son's death. They demanded $25 million from Travolta, threatning him with leaking information about him refusing treatment for his son during the Jan 2 incident. Travolta always has strongly denied the allegation.

Previously, Preston was married to actor Kevin Gage in 1985. However, the relationship between them didn’t last long and ended in less than two years in divorce. 

Following their divorce, she was involved with George Clooney, an actor, director, producer, and activist as well. The couple dated for a year. In 1990, she dated Charlie Sheen. The couple split up shortly after he accidentally shot her in the arm in their apartment.

Here is the video of Preston talking about her son's condition, in an interview The Doctors.