John Travolta Calls Bond With Kirstie Alley ‘One of the Most Special Relationships’ of His Life in Sweet Tribute
Following news of actor and Cheers icon Kirstie Alley’s death, John Travolta paid tribute to his Look Who’s Talking co-star with a short but sweet statement on Instagram. While sharing his prediction that they’ll be reunited one day, he called his bond with her “one of the most special relationships” he’s ever had. But he wasn’t her only former co-star with a few kind sentiments to share.
Kirstie Alley was in love with John Travolta ‘for a long time’
Alley was candid about her attraction to Travolta before her death, confessing she fell in love with him after they worked on Look Who’s Talking in the late ’80s. Alley was married to another actor, her second husband, Parker Stevenson, at the time. But she couldn’t help her feelings for the Grease star.
While appearing on Celebrity Big Brother U.K. in 2018, Alley confessed part of her wanted to be with Travolta. “I almost ran off and married John,” she shared (CNN). “I did love him. I still love him.”
On The Dan Wootton Interview podcast, she called him her “best friend” and clarified that they never had a “sexual relationship.”
“I considered what I did even worse,” she shared, “because I actually let myself fall in love with him and stay in love with him for a long time.”
Alley told Wootton she thought of Travolta as a “kindred spirit” but added they would have “devoured each other” if they had acted on their feelings.
Travolta married Kelly Preston in 1991, and Alley said it was for her to stop looking at him as a potential romantic interest, even after that. She confessed it took Preston calling her out for flirting with him to realize she needed to end it.
John Travolta paid tribute to Kirstie Alley on Instagram
After news of Alley’s death broke, Travolta shared a short but sweet tribute with followers on Instagram. He wrote, “Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had.”
“I love you, Kirstie,” he added. “I know we will see each other again.”
Commenters shared their condolences, including Basic Instinct star Sharon Stone, who offered, “She was so funny and warm.”
Kirstie Alley died of recently-discovered colon cancer
A representative for Alley told People that she died of colon cancer. Her children released a statement, disclosing the cancer was “recently discovered” and that she “fought with great strength.”
They shared, “[Her] zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren, and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did.”
Alley’s Cheers co-star Ted Danson also spoke to People, calling her “truly brilliant.” He added, “Her ability to play a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown was both moving and hysterically funny.”
“I am so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh. I send my love to her children. As they well know, their mother had a heart of gold,” Danson shared. “I will miss her.”
