Travolta Talks About Tragedy

In his new movie, Domestic Disturbance, John Travolta is an ordinary guy forced to be a hero in his own home. That's something the actor says is true in his own life since the Sept. 11 tragedy.

On the 52nd floor of a midtown Manhattan hotel, Travolta sat down with Fox's Bill McCuddy to talk about visiting Ground Zero, what he's told his children, and how he would run the airlines if he were in charge.

McCuddy: You're sitting here with me in New York, so you're doing more than most stars these days. What precautions are you taking in your personal life?

Travolta: Like most people, you know, at home, I take higher security arrangements. And because I'm a celebrity, I have to up that. And of course when I fly, I take care of that with the correct security.

McCuddy: We've heard [you use] bomb sniffing dogs.

Travolta: Yeah sure, because I fly an airliner-style airplane. So, you have to be realistic about it. And I do the dog and I do security on board and security greeting and exiting.

McCuddy: Are you at all comfortable with the heightened security we've taken at the airports?

Travolta: Well, I am.

McCuddy: Because you would know.

Travolta: I'm much more comfortable with it but, you know, if I ran an airline I would arm the pilots; I would lock the cockpit; I would put a U.S. Marshall on every plane. I mean, that's what I think would make people feel better. Redesign the budget for that kind of thing, you know?

McCuddy: You've been down to Ground Zero.

Travolta: Yeah.

McCuddy: Describe your experience down there.

Travolta: It certainly had a high impact on me. It was something I learned from. I learned that these firemen and policemen are great people. All over the country they're protecting us, putting their lives on the line for us. I also felt that the military is too. They're doing a great job of protecting this great country of ours, this wonderful freedom that we have.

McCuddy: You have made your share of big action movies. Are they over?

Travolta: No. Action movies will never be over. I think it's all in the individual taste and discretion of the filmmaker. Action doesn't necessarily mean terrorism.

McCuddy: Will you avoid that kind of thing in the future?

Travolta: Depends on the script.

McCuddy: So, you would make Swordfish again? Broken Arrow?

Travolta: There might be some changes in both those movies. But Swordfish was actually an anti-terrorist film, more than it was a terrorist film so, and Broken Arrow, I have to remember the plot. (Laughs)

McCuddy: "You had a big bomb and you were going to use it."

Travolta: (Laughs) Well, bombs can be used for other reasons, so--

McCuddy: Blockbuster put a warning on Swordfish.

Travolta: Right.

McCuddy: Warning people that in this environment some of it might be offensive. How did you feel about that?

Travolta: I understood it, but at the same time when you watch the whole movie you'll see that it's anti-terrorism, as much as it feels like at first glance it looks like the other.

McCuddy: Your new movie [Domestic Disturbance] is about an ordinary guy who takes extraordinary measures. Do you think everyone has that in them?

Travolta: I do. Especially parents. I think parents that love their children and their spouses, honestly, have a tremendous capacity to protect them and love them. And I think you don't even know that until you have children.

McCuddy: And what did you tell your own children about Sept. 11?

Travolta: Well, you know, my kids know about it. My youngest is too young to comprehend it, but my oldest is aware of it, as are his friends. But we don't dwell on it other than the information that needs to be known.

'Domestic Disturbance' opens Friday.