John Travolta Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is John Travolta’s Net Worth and Salary?

With a net worth of $250 million, John Travolta is an accomplished American actor, singer, producer, and dancer. His career exemplifies a remarkable progression through numerous stages of critical praise and widespread popularity, showcasing both his versatility and steadfastness as an actor. Gaining recognition in the 1970s, he became a cultural icon, particularly known for his performance in “Saturday Night Fever.” This iconic role, alongside his work in “Grease,” solidified his reputation as a leading personality of the disco and musical film era, and his knack for embodying complex characters with charm elevated him to household fame.

Despite encountering a slump in the 1980s, Travolta remained proactive within the film industry, illustrating his commitment and passion for acting. The 1990s marked a significant comeback for him, primarily thanks to his role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” which not only breathed new life into his career but also reintroduced him to audiences, exhibiting the breadth of his acting capabilities.

After this comeback, Travolta embraced diverse roles across various genres, including action, thriller, comedy, and drama. His performances in films such as “Face/Off,” “Get Shorty,” and “Primary Colors” received critical acclaim, demonstrating his aptitude for adapting to various characters. Moreover, his involvement in movies like “Ladder 49,” “Hairspray,” and “Swordfish” highlighted his enduring allure in the Hollywood industry.

Notable Film Salaries

Throughout his career, John Travolta has amassed hundreds of millions of dollars through his film salaries. For instance, he received only $150,000 for his role in 1994’s “Pulp Fiction,” yet the film’s enormous success revitalized his career entirely. From the mid-1990s onward, he consistently earned $20 million per film for a decade. Below is a summary of John’s most notable film salaries:

• 1994: Pulp Fiction – $150 Thousand
• 1995: Get Shorty – $6 Million
• 1996: Broken Arrow – $7 Million
• 1996: Phenomenon – $8 Million
• 1996: Michael – $12 Million
• 1997: Face/Off – $20 Million
• 1997: Mad City – $20 Million
• 1998: Primary Colors – $17 Million
• 1998: A Civil Action – $20 Million
• 1999: The General’s Daughter – $20 Million
• 2000: Battlefield Earth – $10 Million
• 2001: Swordfish – $20 Million
• 2003: Basic – $15 Million
• 2004: Ladder 49 – $20 Million
• 2005: Be Cool – $20 Million
• 2007: Hairspray – $14 Million

= $230 million

The total earnings from these 16 films alone, which represent only a segment of his extensive filmography, amount to $230 million.

It all began in 1994 with “Pulp Fiction,” a significant film that reshaped contemporary cinema and revived Travolta’s faltering career. For this critical role, he received a limited sum of $150 thousand, a surprisingly low figure compared to the film’s substantial influence on his subsequent career. “Pulp Fiction” not only restored Travolta’s fame but also reinstated him amongst the elite actors in Hollywood.

This revival was mirrored in the increasing salaries he garnered for his films thereafter. For example, “Get Shorty” (1995) marked a notable salary hike, earning him $6 million. This trend persisted with “Broken Arrow” (1996) at $7 million, “Phenomenon” the same year at $8 million, and “Michael” (1996) at $12 million. By the release of “Face/Off” in 1997, Travolta’s salary had soared to $20 million, reflecting his return to prominence.

to the top of the box office.

With “Mad City” (1997) and “Primary Colors” (1998), he maintained this impressive earning streak, generating $20 million and $17 million, respectively. In “A Civil Action” (1998), he again commanded a $20 million paycheck. As the 1990s came to a close, there was no doubt about Travolta’s star status, highlighted by “The General’s Daughter” (1999), which also earned him $20 million.

As he entered the new millennium, “Battlefield Earth” (2000) saw a decrease in his salary to $10 million, possibly due to the film’s mixed reviews. Nevertheless, this was merely a temporary dip, as “Swordfish” (2001) reinstated his $20 million salary standard. The subsequent years showcased a consistent trend of significant earnings for Travolta, with “Basic” (2003) earning him $15 million, followed by “Ladder 49” (2004) and “Be Cool” (2005), both at $20 million. Additionally, his performance in “Hairspray” (2007) brought in an impressive $14 million, underscoring his resilience and appeal.

Early Life

Born on February 18, 1954, Travolta was the youngest in a family of six children. His mother, Helen Cecilia, enjoyed a notable career as an actress and singer as part of The Sunshine Sisters, a radio vocal ensemble, before transitioning into a role as a high school educator. His father, Salvatore, was a semi-professional American football player who later became a tire salesman.

Beginnings of Success

At 17 years old, Travolta dropped out of high school in 1971 and moved to New York City, where he landed a role in the Broadway production of Over Here!, in addition to being part of the touring cast of Grease. Shortly after, he headed to Los Angeles to advance his career. Once in California, his breakout role came in the 1976 horror film Carrie, followed by his portrayal of Vinnie Barbarino in ABC’s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-79).

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Travolta enjoyed considerable success on-screen and beyond. He achieved a hit single, “Let Her In,” which reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1976. His film career during this time included key performances in titles such as Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), and Urban Cowboy (1980). For his portrayal in Saturday Night Fever, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, becoming one of the youngest nominees at just 24 years old.

Decline and Return

Following the triumphs of the 1970s, the 1980s brought a series of challenges for his career. His films Two of a Kind (1983) and Perfect (1985) met with both commercial and critical failure; although Staying Alive, a sequel to Saturday Night Fever released in 1983, managed to earn over $65 million, it failed to impress critics.

In spite of these challenges, Travolta made a successful comebackIn 1989, with the release of Look Who’s Talking, which earned $297 million, Travolta achieved his greatest success following Grease. His status as an A-list actor was confirmed and solidified with his Academy Award-nominated performance in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994). The 1990s proved to be a fruitful time for Travolta as he received an influx of movie offers. Throughout this decade, he starred in notable films such as Get Shorty (1995), Face/Off (1997), and A Civil Action (1998).

This trend continued into the 2000s, where Travolta remained actively engaged in film projects, appearing in multiple movies, including Swordfish (2001), Ladder 49 (2004), Be Cool (2005), Lonely Hearts (2006), Wild Hogs (2007), and Old Dogs (2009). He returned to musicals for the first time since Grease, taking on the role of Edna Turnblad in drag in the 2007 remake of Hairspray.

During this time, Travolta also sought out new creative avenues beyond his conventional acting roles. In 2008, he lent his voice to the title character in the animated film Bolt and contributed voiceovers for the 2005 documentary Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D. Additionally, he embarked on a personal project in 2000, starring in and co-producing the science fiction film Battlefield Earth, adapted from L. Ron Hubbard’s novel, a passion project for Travolta since the book’s original publication in 1982, when Hubbard reached out to him for assistance in bringing the story to the big screen.

From 2010 onward, Travolta’s roles became primarily focused on the action and thriller genres. Some projects during this period include Savages (2012), Killing Season (2013), In a Valley of Violence (2016), Speed Kills (2018), Trading Paint (2019), The Poison Rose (2019), The Fanatic (2019), and Paradise City (2022). He has continued his work as a producer, both starring and serving as an executive producer for films such as Criminal Activities (2015) and Gotti (2018).

In February 2023, John Travolta brought back the iconic “Summer Nights” scene from Grease in a T-Mobile Super Bowl commercial.

Personal Life

In 1991, Travolta married actress Kelly Preston, and the couple had three children together. Tragically, their eldest son, Jett, died on January 2, 2009, at the age of 16 while vacationing in the Bahamas, with the official cause of death attributed to a seizure. Travolta has revealed that his son had autism and experienced regular seizures. In memory of Jett, Travolta founded the Jett Travolta Foundation, aimed at supporting children with special needs.

Sadly, Kelly Preston passed away on July 12, 2020, at the age of 57 following a battle with breast cancer.

Despite being raised in a Catholic family, Travolta became a member of the Church of Scientology in 1975, a faith he has continued to practice. He credits both his family and Scientology for assisting him in coping with the loss of his son.

Sexual Assault Allegations

A lawsuit claiming sexual assault and battery was filed by an anonymous masseur against Travolta in May 2012. Following declarations from Travolta’s legal representatives declaring the allegations as “complete fiction and fabrication,” another masseur later came forward, adding similar accusations to the lawsuit. Ultimately, both lawsuits were withdrawn by the complainants and subsequently dismissed.

Real Estate

In 1993, the Travoltas acquired a 2.35-acre residence in Brentwood, LA, for $3.5 million. This property includes an 8,100 square-foot main house, seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a tennis court, a playground, and a large swimming pool. In January 2020, they sold this home to their neighbor, Scooter Braun—a mega-producer/manager—for $18 million. Braun and his wife, Yael Cohen, had purchased the adjacent lot in 2014 for $13.1 million. Additionally, John owns a $2.65 million home in Calabasas, LA, acquired in September 2019.

Beyond Los Angeles, Travolta possesses a 50-acre estate in Maine he attempted to sell in 2022 for $5 million, a mansion in Clearwater, Florida, near the Scientology headquarters that he sold for $4 million in 2021, and a distinctive residence in Ocala, Florida, situated within the Jumbolair Aviation Estates neighborhood. Currently, this property is valued at approximately $10 million. This community features a functioning private airport catering to large aircraft. The Travoltas were among the first to purchase land in this neighborhood. The runway is sufficiently large to accommodate Travolta, who is a passionate aviator, operating his various aircraft; it is reported that he owns at least seven jets along with other smaller planes.