After a surprising 27 year-long absence, John Travolta is back on NBC's TODAY, this time joined by his daughter Ella Bleu Travolta.
The Grease star, 72, is the name on everyone's lips at the moment, after he and Ella, 26, attended the Cannes Film Festival to premiere his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, in which his daughter stars.
© Getty ImagesAt the famed festival, he was also surprised with their highest honor, the Palme d'Or, although he did in fact end up going viral over his many snazzy berets instead, a very different look for the famously suave Saturday Night Fever star.
It was, in fact, that very era that became one of the talking points during his interview with Willie Geist on the May 20 iteration of NBC's morning news show, with Willie reminding John that his last appearance on the show was back in 1999.
However, he then showed a clip of the actor speaking with then-host Jane Pauley in 1977 about being in Saturday Night Fever, sporting his signature long and lush wavy 'do, a suede blazer, and a black turtleneck, telling Jane about how he preferred "gearing my art" to what he liked over what the audience wanted.
Ella quickly remarked upon seeing the clip: "You look like Ben!" referring to her younger brother Benjamin Travolta, 15. John welcomed Ella, Benjamin and his late son Jett with late wife Kelly Preston.
When asked what he thought of his younger self, the Oscar nominee gushed: "You know, I'm proud of him! He reminds me of Ella, he's very down to earth and real and tells the truth…I like him!"
© Getty ImagesElla, for her part, added: "Oh my god, it actually reminds me a lot of my little brother too, you guys look so similar. I'm also so, so proud." Willie then turned attention to John's new look that "set the internet on fire," and the debut director once again explained the motivation behind the style choice.
"It's very simple," he began. "I have over 50 years of me at events and happenings, and I can't tell the difference with what I wore." It was that instinct that inspired him to look up "directors and berets" when setting his Cannes appearance as a debut filmmaker, and noting how prolific it was, it made him want to adopt the trend as well.
© Instagram"I'm not an actor this time, I'm a director. Show up like a director," he continued. "So I did that, and that's really the simplicity of it." And it looks like the new style is already making an impact, as the cameras then cut to Al Roker for his weather forecast, wearing his own cream beret to match the black one John wore in the moment.
"Oui, oui, monsieur," the weatherman quipped, with John going: "Go for it, man!" Al continued: "I'm getting directed by an award-winning director. What's my motivation, John?" before turning to the forecast.
© NBCPropeller One-Way Night Coach will receive a wide release on Apple TV on May 29 following its May 15 Cannes premiere.
