At the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, John Travolta—who received an honorary Palme d’Or—turned heads with a beret look while attending photo calls and a premiere for his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night. He says it was his way of dressing like “an old sc
John Travolta arrived at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival last week in a way that was hard to miss: multiple berets. straight out of old-school film style. The 72-year-old actor wasn’t just there to enjoy the spotlight—he received an honorary Palme d’Or and took part in a photo call connected to his film Propeller One-Way Night.
Cannes also brought Travolta into the premiere spotlight for Propeller One-Way Night, his directorial debut. He wasn’t alone, either. His 26-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, joined him for the festival.
When asked why he chose the beret look, Travolta didn’t treat it like a fashion accident. “The old school directors wore berets and the glasses. And I thought, that’s what I’m doing,” he said.
He explained that the decision was tied to what he considered a shift in roles. “I’ve been around for over 50 years doing movies. but I can’t tell. when I look back. the difference between the events. ” Travolta said. So he set out to make the moment distinct—directing his own presence as much as he directed the film. “And I said, ‘I’m a director this time. You’re an actor, play the part of a director. Look like an old school director,’” he added.
Travolta said he did some research to get it right. “He said he researched and ‘looked up pictures’ of some past directors to get some inspo,” before landing on the visual cues he wanted.
The plan, he said, wasn’t just about the photos—it was about how the memory would stick. “I’m gonna do an homage to being a director. 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 continued.
John Travolta Cannes Film Festival 2026 honorary Palme d’Or Propeller One-Way Night directorial debut Ella Bleu Travolta beret fashion celebrity news
Berets at Cannes… sure, why not. I bet half of Hollywood copied it by the next day.
So he wore multiple berets like that’s normal? Also honorary Palme d’Or already sounds like a marketing thing. I’m just confused why they’re acting like the hat is a whole artistic statement.
Wait, Ella Bleu Travolta is 26 right? I didn’t realize they did that much at Cannes for a directorial debut. I thought berets were like, for French vibes, not like… a memory trick so he remembers the exact year lol.
This reads like he chose the beret because “directors wore berets” but half the time those old Hollywood photos are just costume dudes. Like what if he just wanted to stand out since he already got the honorary Palme d’Or? Either way good for him, Cannes loves a spectacle.