John Travolta Pays Tribute to Kirstie Alley, Calling Him “Greatest Love”

The undeniable chemistry between John Travolta and Kirstie Alley in the 1989 film Look Who’s Talking captivated audiences nationwide. Upon Alley’s passing in 2022 from colon cancer, Travolta paid a heartfelt tribute not just to a co-star but to a cherished friend who once referred to him as “the greatest love of my life.”

In 2018, while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother U.K., Alley opened up about her deep feelings for Travolta, feelings so strong she confessed she “almost ran off and married” him. These emotions blossomed during their time together filming Look Who’s Talking. But what were Travolta’s feelings for her?

On screen, Travolta played James Ubriacco, while Alley portrayed Mollie Jensen. As their characters fell in love, Alley found herself developing real-life feelings for Travolta.

In 2018, Alley admitted, “I did love him. I still love him. If I hadn’t been married, I would’ve gone and married him and I would’ve been in an airplane because he has his own plane.” Alley was married twice, first to Bob Alley from 1977 to 1979, and then to Parker Stevenson from 1983 to 1997. Travolta, meanwhile, was married to Kelly Preston from 1991 until her death in 2020.

Speaking with Howard Stern in 2013, Alley revealed that her feelings for Travolta were unparalleled. “It took me years to not look at John as a romantic interest,” she said, labeling him as “the greatest love of my life.” She believed these feelings were mutual, though never acted upon.

Suppressing these emotions was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” stated Alley. “It wasn’t a sexual relationship because I’m not going to cheat on my husband. But, you know, I think there are things that are way worse than sexual relationships, than cheating on someone that way. I consider what I did even worse because I actually let myself fall in love with him and stay in love with him for a long time.”

A wake-up call came when Alley continued to flirt with Travolta, prompting Preston to question her, “Erm, why are you flirting with my husband?” Alley recounted that this was the moment she had to make a final decision, effectively ending any romantic notions.

Alley ultimately respected Preston’s boundaries and supported Travolta’s marriage to her. “John and I would have devoured each other,” she explained, “because John and I are so alike. It would be like two blazing stars that just fizzled out.”

Despite this, the bond they shared remained unbroken. When Alley passed away at the age of 71, two years after Travolta’s wife died from breast cancer, the Saturday Night Fever star felt moved to honor her memory with an emotional tribute.

After hearing of Alley’s passing, Travolta shared a photo of her and posted a picture of the two together on Instagram. “Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had,” he wrote in the caption. “I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.”