In the peaking era of John Travolta’s Hollywood career, he had a long on-and-off romance with his fellow “Grease” star Marilu Henner. Their relationship came after the death of Travolta’s girlfriend, Diana Hyland.
At the time, Hyland’s death caused a huge blow to the “I Am Wrath” star, and it was not quite easy for him to get over her demise. However, his years with Henner seemed to help start his healing process.
ohn Travolta and his fiancée Marilu Henner on the esplanade of Versailles castle on 03 September, 1978 | Photo: Getty Images
HENNER ON HER RELATIONSHIP WITH TRAVOLTA
In an interview with Andy Cohen on Sirius XM, Henner shared that she and the “Saturday Night Fever” actor met on the set of “Grease.” She explained that they traveled together for the movie’s tour and built a relationship from there.
When Cohen described Travolta as a dreamy person, Henner agreed. Cohen also noted that when he met the star actor, he could feel his warmth. Henner confirmed this as she relayed that Travolta was a lovely person.
Henner talked about her then nine-year marriage, relaying how she enjoys being monogamous.
She described him as a “good boy from New Jersey.” Henner recalled that she and the “Pulp Fiction” actor bonded over their families because his mom and hers were both teachers, and their dads were into the automobile business.
HYLAND DIED OF BREAST CANCER
Travolta suffered a significant loss in 2020 when his long-time wife, Kelly Preston, died of cancer. However, this was not the first time the father-of-3 had lost someone to cancer.
In 1977, during the “Domestic Disturbance” star’s heydays in Hollywood, he lost his girlfriend and fellow star, Hyland. At the time they were dating, Hyland was 41, while Travolta was 23.
The pair met on the set of “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,” where Hyland played his mother. Their onscreen closeness was reflected in real life, and they began dating. However, the “Burke” actress lost her life due to health complications.
After her death, the “Face Off” actor grieved deeply, making it known he had never been in love before Hyland. At the time, he noted that he had more fun with the late actress than he ever had in his life.
Diana Hyland was also in the Twilight Zone episode “Spur of the Moment” #MeTVInvaders pic.twitter.com/mwngb9OhiS
— MeTV (@MeTV) August 30, 2020
Travolta moved on with his life, and in the following years, he filmed “Grease.” However, he struggled with the weight of losing Hyland. The award-winning actor went on to date Catherine Deneuve and Henner, years before he met Preston.
INSIDE HENNER’S LIFE
In a 1994 interview, Henner talked about her then nine-year marriage, relaying how she enjoys being monogamous. The actress also noted that motherhood changed the routine of things in her family.
However, the “Aurora Teagarden Mysteries” star would not trade motherhood for anything. She explained how it took three years for her to become pregnant. She referred to giving birth as the best thing she had ever done.
Besides Henner’s acting prowess, she is known for her exceptionally active memory. According to the 69-year-old, she had a clear memory of things that have happened in life and could remember the happenings of each month in a year.
The “Between The Lines” star stated that she kept records of everywhere she has worked in her younger years. She emphatically mentioned that this included work receipts with many scribblings on them to remember what happened.
The actress talked about her autobiography, “By All Means Keep On Moving,” and the part her writing things down had played in keeping the book voluminous. She explained that by the time she got to page 150, her high school story was still the focus.
We spoke with the iconic @TheRealMarilu about her now show at @TheaterBCP!https://t.co/wj2h3olwKN
— BroadwayWorld (@BroadwayWorld) August 9, 2021
Henner’s book ultimately culminated at 308 pages, and in it, she took fans through the highs and lows of her life. This included having five siblings, progressing through different stages, and her sexual life.