John Travolta's Relationship With Scientology Explained
Actor John Travolta's involvement with the Church of Scientology has been the subject of much speculation over the years, but following the death of his wife Kelly Preston in July 2020, fans of the Grease star began thinking that he was pulling away from the controversial religion. Most recently, an InTouch article claimed that Travolta has "broken free" of Scientology. So what's the truth?
Travolta converted to Scientology in 1975, which means he has been involved in the church for a really long time. He has also spoken candidly about how much the church helped his family cope with their grief, including through the heartbreaking death of his son, Jett, in 2009. "The church never left our sides for two years," Travolta told Us Weekly in 2019. "I don't know if I would have made it through without their support." The Travolta family's 16-year-old son had a history with traumatic seizures, the conditions that eventually caused his death.
So if the church has been so important to the actor, why do people think he might be on the brink of a break with the institution?
John Travolta said Scientology helped him cope with his grief
Following the death of his wife Kelly Preston in July 2020 from breast cancer, John Travolta wrote on his Instagram, "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."
Because the Church of Scientology is said to discourage medical treatment outside of their own centers, some folks are claiming that this statement indicates that Travolta has turned away from the institution. According to The Daily Mail, former Scientologists claim that, by not acknowledging the church in his statement, and without the support of Preston, Travolta may be moving away from the religion. "Kelly was the driving force behind [John's] involvement, in my honest opinion," said Sam Domingo, VIP member of the church for 22 years, according to the outlet.
However, Travolta himself has not indicated in any statement that he is leaving Scientology, and the celebrity gossip fact-checking site Gossip Cop has already rated the story as "totally false."