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Kelly Preston

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Kelly Preston
Preston at the2018 Cannes Film Festival
Born
Kelly Kamalelehua Smith

(1962-10-13)October 13, 1962
Honolulu,Hawaii, U.S.
DiedJuly 12, 2020(2020-07-12)(aged 57)
Clearwater, Florida,U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
OccupationActress
Years active1980–2020
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m.1985;div.1987)​
  • ​
    (m.1991)​
Children3
Websitekellypreston

Kelly Kamalelehua Smith(October 13, 1962 – July 12, 2020), known professionally asKelly Preston,was an American actress. She appeared in more than 60 television and film productions, includingMischief(1985),Twins(1988),Jerry Maguire(1996), andFor Love of the Game(1999). She marriedJohn Travoltain 1991, and collaborated with him on the comedy filmThe Experts(1989) and the biographical filmGotti(2018). She also starred in the filmsSpaceCamp(1986),The Cat in the Hat(2003),What a Girl Wants(2003),Sky High(2005), andOld Dogs(2009).

Early life

Kelly Kamalelehua Smith[1][2](the middle name "Kamalelehua" means "garden oflehuas"inHawaiian)[3][4]was born inHonolulu,Hawaii. Her mother, Linda, was an administrator of a mental health center. Her father, who worked for an agricultural firm, drowned when she was four years old.[5][6][7]Her mother subsequently married Peter Palzis, a personnel director. He adopted her, and she used his name at the start of her acting career.[8]She also had a younger half-brother, Chris Palzis.[8]

As a child, she lived inIraq,[9]and also Australia,[10]where she attendedPembroke School, Adelaide.She then attendedPunahou Schoolin Honolulu, graduating in 1980,[11]and studied drama and theater at theUniversity of Southern California.[12]

Career

While living in Australia, she was discovered at age 16 by a fashion photographer who helped her get work in commercials and other small parts.[8]He arranged her first film audition for the role of Emmeline inThe Blue Lagoon(1980), which she lost to the youngerBrooke Shields.[13]At that time she changed her last name to Preston.[14]

Her first prominent film roles came in 1985—first as Marilyn McCauley in the romanticteen flickcomedyMischief;then as the beautiful but shallow Deborah Ann Fimple in another teen romantic comedy,Secret Admirer.Her other roles includedSpaceCamp(1986),Twins[15](1988) withArnold SchwarzeneggerandDanny DeVito,Avery Bishop inJerry Maguire(1996) withTom Cruise,Jane Aubrey inFor Love of the GamewithKevin Costnerand Kate Newell, and inHoly Man(1998) withEddie MurphyandJeff Goldblum.In 1997, she starred inNothing to Lose,which co-starredTim RobbinsandMartin Lawrence.She also starred in the movieJack Frost(1998).

She played the girlfriend of her husbandJohn Travolta's character Terl in the filmBattlefield Earth,[16]for which she received "Worst Supporting Actress" at the21st Golden Raspberry Awards.[17]She appeared as the protagonist's flying, superhero mother in the filmSky High(2005).[18]

Preston in 2005

In 2004, she was in theMaroon 5music video "She Will Be Loved",which featured a love triangle and romantic scenes between her and Maroon 5 front manAdam Levine.She appeared in the crime thrillerDeath Sentence(2007), in which she played Helen Hume, the wife ofKevin Bacon's character Nick. In 2008, she was cast in a television pilot calledSuburban Shootout,[19]and had a short term recurring role inMedium.[19]

She starred in theLifetimetelevision filmThe Tenth Circle(2008), directed byPeter Markle.It was shot inNova Scotiaand featuredRon Eldard,Britt Robertson,Michael Riley,Jamie Johnstonand Geordie Brown.[20]

She was a spokeswoman forNeutrogena,appearing in its print and television ads.[21][22]

Her final red carpet appearance came at the New York City premiere of her husband's motion pictureGottiin 2018.[23]

Her final film role was in the comedy-dramaOff the Rails,which was released in late July 2021 in the UK.

Personal life

Preston was married to actorKevin Gagefrom 1985 until their divorce in 1987.[24]She also had a relationship withGeorge Clooneyin the late 1980s.[24][8]

Preston was briefly engaged toCharlie Sheenin 1990,[8][25]but ended the relationship shortly after an accidental gun discharge left shrapnel in her body.[25][26]In a 2011 interview withTMZ,Preston said that Sheen did not shoot her.[27][28]

Preston metJohn Travoltain 1987 while filmingThe Experts.[29]They married in 1991, traveling to Paris on anAir FranceConcordefor a wedding ceremony at theHotel de Crillon(on thePlace de la Concorde) on September 5, 1991. However, a second ceremony was required because the first, performed by a FrenchScientologyminister(both Preston and Travolta were Scientologists), was considered invalid. The second ceremony took place on September 12, 1991, inDaytona Beach,Florida.[30]Preston and Travolta had three children: son Jett, daughter Ella Bleu,[31]and a second son, Benjamin.[32]Preston remained a Scientologist until her death.[33]

Death of Jett Travolta

Preston's son Jett Travolta was described as suffering fromKawasaki diseaseas an infant and had a history of seizures.[34][35]In 2003, Preston appeared onThe Montel Williams Showto promoteL. Ron Hubbard'sPurification Rundown,which she credited with helping her son.[36]

On January 2, 2009, Jett Travolta died at the age of 16 while the family was vacationing inthe Bahamas.[37][38]His death was attributed to aseizure.[39]

On January 23, 2009, three people were arrested in the Bahamas in connection with a multimillion-dollar extortion plot against Travolta and Preston concerning the circumstances of their son's death.[40]One of the men, Obie Wilchcombe, a member of theBahamian Parliamentand former Bahamian Minister of Tourism, was described as a "close friend" of Travolta and Preston.[40]Two others allegedly involved were anEMTnamed Tarino Lightbourne and a Bahamian senator namedPleasant Bridgewater.Bridgewater was charged withabetmentto extort and conspiracy to extort and resigned from theSenateas a result of the allegations.[40][41]Travolta and Preston confirmed longstanding speculations when they testified that their son hadautismand suffered regular seizures.[42]The first trial ended in a mistrial.

After a second jury had been selected, the Travoltas elected to drop the case and all charges against the defendants were dismissed.[43]

Death

On July 12, 2020, Preston died at the age of 57 at her home inClearwater, Florida,[44]two years after she had been diagnosed withbreast cancer.[45][46][47][48]Her diagnosis was not widely publicized.[45]Preston had been receiving treatment at theMD Anderson Cancer Centerin Houston; she had also been treated at other medical centers.[49][50]Her death was announced in anInstagrampost under an account belonging toJohn Travoltaand Ella Bleu.[51]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1983 10 to Midnight Doreen [52]
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn Dhyana [18]
Christine Roseanne [18]
1985 Mischief Marilyn McCauley [18]
Secret Admirer Deborah Anne Fimple [18]
1986 SpaceCamp Tish Ambrosé [18]
52 Pick-Up Cynthia 'Cini' Frazier [18]
1987 Love at Stake Sara Lee [52]
A Tiger's Tale Shirley Butts [18]
Amazon Women on the Moon Violet Segment: "Titan Man" [18]
1988 Spellbinder Miranda Reed [18]
Twins Marnie Mason [18]
1989 The Experts Bonnie [18]
1991 Run Karen Landers [18]
1992 Only You Amanda Hughes [18]
1994 Double Cross Vera Blanchard Video [18]
Love Is a Gun Jean Starr [18]
1995 Mrs. Munck Young Rose Munck [18]
Waiting to Exhale Kathleen Uncredited cameo [53]
1996 Citizen Ruth Rachel [18]
From Dusk till Dawn Kelly Houge, Newscaster [18]
Curdled Kelly Hogue [18]
Jerry Maguire Avery Bishop [18]
1997 Addicted to Love Linda [18]
Nothing to Lose Ann Beam [18]
1998 Holy Man Kate Newell [18]
Jack Frost Gabby Frost [18]
1999 For Love of the Game Jane Aubrey [18]
2000 Battlefield Earth Chirk [18]
2001 Daddy and Them Rose [18]
2003 View from the Top Sherry [18]
What a Girl Wants Libby Reynolds [18]
The Cat in the Hat Joan Walden [18]
2004 Eulogy Lucy Collins [18]
Return to Sender Susan Kennan [54]
2005 Sky High Josie Stronghold / Jetstream [18]
2006 Broken Bridges Angela Delton [18]
2007 Death Sentence Helen Hume [18]
2008 Struck Trista Short film [54]
2009 Old Dogs Vicki Greer [18]
2010 The Last Song Kim Miller [18]
Casino Jack Pam Abramoff [18]
2014 Dissonance Kim Short film
2018 Gotti Victoria Gotti [52]
2021 Off the Rails Cassie Posthumous release [55]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1980 Hawaii Five-O Wendy Episode: "For Old Times Sake" [56]
1982 Capitol Gillian McCandless Episode: "Pilot"
1983 Quincy M.E. Ginger Reeves Episode: "On Dying High"
The Renegades Lisa Primus Episode: "Back to School"
CHiPs Anna Episode: "Things That Go Creep in the Night" [56]
1983–1984 For Love and Honor Mary Lee Regular role (12 episodes) [18]
1984 Riptide Sherry Meyers Episode: "The Hardcase"
Blue Thunder Amy Braddock Episode: "The Long Flight" [18]
1990 Tales from the Crypt Linda Episode: "The Switch" [54]
1991 The Perfect Bride Laura Television film
1993 The American Clock Diana Marley Television film
1994 Cheyenne Warrior Rebecca Carver Television film
1996 Little Surprises Ginger Short
2000 Bar Hopping Bebe Television film
2001 Fear Factor Herself Episode: "First Celebrity Fear Factor" [18]
2004 Joey Donna Di Gregorio Episodes: "Joey and the Dream Girl: Parts 1 & 2" [18]
2005 Fat Actress Quinn Taylor Scott Recurring role (4 episodes) [18]
2006 Legends Ball Herself Television documentary film
2008 Medium Meghan Doyle Recurring role (4 episodes) [18]
The Tenth Circle Laura Stone Television film [18]
2010 Kirstie Alley's Big Life Herself Episode: "Oh Rats! It's My Birthday!"
2013 Adopted Karey Television film
2016 CSI: Cyber Greer Latimore Recurring role (3 episodes) [18]

Web

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 The Stafford Project Tabitha Episode: "White Secret" [57]

Music videos

Year Title Artist Role Ref.
2004 "She Will Be Loved" Maroon 5 Socialite / Mother [58][59]
2006 "Broken" Lindsey Haun Angela Delton

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Production Result Ref.
2001 Golden Raspberry Award Worst Supporting Actress Battlefield Earth Won [60]
2004 The Cat in the Hat Nominated [61]
2010 Old Dogs Nominated [62]
2019 Gotti Nominated [63]
Worst Screen Combo Nominated [63]

References

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