John Travolta is no stranger to undergoing drastic transformations for his craft. The acclaimed actor has famously used prosthetics and bodysuits to embody his on-screen roles, including wearing a 30-pound suit and facial prosthetics to play housewife Edna Turnblad in the 2007 musical Hairspray, as well as facial prosthetics to portray mob boss John Gotti in the 2018 biographical crime film Gotti.
His latest role is no different. The Grease star looks almost unrecognisable in the newly released trailer for the upcoming biopic, November 1963, which is a retelling of the infamous day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
John, who portrays Italian-American mobster John Roselli, has traded his bald look and thick beard for a neatly groomed moustache and slicked-back hair to embody the character. Find out more about the film below.
What is November 1963 about?
The story unfolds within the 48-hour period surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, offering a new perspective on Kennedy's connection with mob boss Sam Giancana and his Chicago Outfit – one of America's most violent Mafia families in the 20th century.
The film, which tells of the Chicago Outfit's alleged involvement in the assassination, was penned by Nicki Celozzi, nephew of mob boss Sam Giancana and his brother, Joseph 'Pepe' Giancana.
The official synopsis reads: "Kill a man, he dies once. Kill his son, he dies 10,000 deaths. Prior to the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960, his father Joe Kennedy, a former bootlegger during prohibition, asked for a favor from mob boss Sam Giancana and his Chicago outfit: to destroy ballot boxes to ensure a win for the younger Kennedy.
© Getty Images"However, during JFK's reign as president, the national organized crime syndicate came under fire by way of the newly appointed Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, resulting in several convictions. The mob answered this betrayal with the ultimate revenge: the murder of the 35th President of the United States on November 22nd, 1963, and the subsequent cover up. Our story is told by somebody who was there – Sam Giancana’s brother Pepe."
Who stars in November 1963?
John Travolta stars as Johnny Roselli, a mobster for the Outfit who operated on the West Coast and in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Mandy Patinkin portrays Anthony Accardo, the head of the Chicago Outfit, Dermot Mulroney plays Chuckie Nicoletti, Sam Giancana's bodyguard and hitman, Robert Carlyle portrays Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner and associate of organised crime and Jefferson White plays Lee Harvey Oswald, a U.S. Marine veteran, who assassinated John F. Kennedy.
© Getty Images for SAG-AFTRA FoundationWhen will November 1963 be released?
November 1963 arrives in theatres on 20 November.
