John Travolta and Kelly Preston's 3 Kids: All About Jett, Ella and Benjamin

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Gisela Schober/Getty

ForJohn Travolta, being a father is life’s greatest “privilege.”

The actor is dad to three children, whom he welcomed with his late wife, actressKelly Preston. Preston died in 2020 following atwo-year battle with breast cancer. She was 57.

The couple welcomed their first child, sonJett, in April 1992. John was immediately enamored, telling PEOPLE ofhis newfound love of being a dad. “After he was born and cleaned up, I held him for hours while Kelly slept,” he said at the time.

A few years later, John and Kelly welcomed their second child, daughterElla Bleu, in April 2000. While Jett was born in a hospital, the actress gave birth to Ella in their Los Angeles home, which Kelly previously described as an “unbelievably beautiful” experience.

In January 2009, the Travoltas experienced tragedy when their eldest son, Jett, died at the age of 16 while on vacation with his family. John has often paid tribute to his late son, honoring his life with heartfelt throwback photos and sweet messages, in the years that followed.

John and Kelly welcomed their third child, sonBenjamin, in 2010. “He’s given the house a renewed spirit and purpose,” theSaturday Night Feverstar told PEOPLE of their little “miracle” when he was born.

On New Year’s Day 2025, John shared a photo with Benjamin and Ella as they stood out in the snow onInstagram, writing, “Happy new yearfrom the Travolta family.”

Here’s everything to know about John’s three kids.

Jett

Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

John and Kelly welcomed their first child, son Jett, on April 13, 1992. Soon after he was born, the actor told PEOPLE how much he loved fatherhood. “I can’t imagine what life would be like without Jett,” he said in 1994.

He added, “After he was born and cleaned up, I held him for hours while Kelly slept. When they came to take him away for various tests, I said, ‘No, you can’t see him today. You’ll have to do it another day.’ I went a little nutsy.”

Sadly, Jettdied in January 2009 while on vacationwith his family in the Bahamas. The then 16-year-old had hit his head on a bathtub after suffering a seizure at his family’s vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island.

Rogers and Cowan/Getty

John and his wife rarely spoke publicly about Jett, butKelly opened up in an interviewafter his death. “[Jett] was autistic. He had seizures and when he was very young, he had Kawasaki Syndrome,” she said while on an episode ofThe Doctorsin November 2012.

In 2022,John paid tribute to Jettwith a throwback picture on what would have been his 30th birthday. “My dearest Jetty, I miss you more than words can say. I think about you everyday. Happy Birthday. Love, your Dad,” he penned in the caption.

Ella Bleu, 24

John Travolta/Instagram

John and Kelly welcomed their second child together, daughter Ella Bleu, on April 3, 2000. Like her parents, Ella has the performing bug. Throughout the years, John has beamed about his daughter’s successes and touted that he’s “a very proud dad.”

Prior to starring in her own films, Ella has held several roles in her father’s movies such as 2009’sOld Dogsand 2019’sThe Poison Rose. In 2021, she nabbed her first lead inGet Lost, a modern-day retelling of the classicAlice in Wonderlandstory.

Not only is she an actress in her own right, but she’s also pursued a music career as well. Ellareleased her first single, “Dizzy,” in January and shareda sweet video featuring her supportive dadto celebrate the occasion.

Ella and John Travolta.

“She is her own person. She is gracious, generous, poised, graceful and gorgeous. I don’t know how she came to be, and I don’t take any credit other than just adoring her,” John told PEOPLE of Ella in 2019. “And maybe that’s a valid contribution.”

Most recently, Ella has continued to solidify her title as a multi-hyphenate after making her New York Fashion Week debut. John praised his daughter after she walked in the Karl Lagerfeld runway show for their Cara Loves Karl capsule collection in September.

In her spare time, Ella enjoys baking. Sherecreated the coconut bundt cakeTom Cruisefamously gives his friends around the holidays — and it was a big hit with her dad, who called it “delicious” in a video on Instagram.

In October 2024, Ella told PEOPLE that John was the first to hear the music she was writing that ended up on her debut EP,Colors of Love,and he encouraged her to finish them.

“So I was like, ‘Okay, well, I’ll do that.’ So then, I juststarted finishing songs,” she said. “It was just this gradient of how everything came up. But that was definitely a huge part of me wanting to really get into it even more, was just my dad.”

Benjamin, 14

John Travolta and son Ben.John Travolta/Instagram

John and Kelly welcomed their third child, son Benjamin, on Nov. 23, 2010. Unlike his sister and parents, Ben hasn’t demonstrated an interest in acting or music — rather, he possesses a unique talent of his own.

John Travolta/instagram

John and Ben share a very close bond. In August, theSaturday Night Feveractoropened up about the emotional conversationhe and his son had after Preston’s death when Ben revealed he was afraid to lose his dad too.

“I said, ‘But you know, Ben … you always love the truth and I’m going to tell you the truth about life. Nobody knows when they’re gonna go or when they’re going to stay,’ " John recalled of what he told his son.

He continued, “Yourbrother [Jett] left at 16. Too young. Your mother left at 57. That was too young. But who’s to say? I could die tomorrow. You could. Anybody can,” he said. “So let’s look at it like it’s part of life. You don’t know exactly. You just do your best at trying to live the longest you can.”

In July 2023, John shared an Instagram Reel of afamily trip to Japan. In the clip, John and his son were seen flying in a helicopter, walking together in a forest and even feeding monkeys.

Later that year, John, Ben and Ellaspent Christmas on the ski slopes.

source: people.com