Kelly Preston Biography: Age, Husband, Children, Movies & TV Shows, Net Worth, Height, Death

Kelly Preston, a beloved American actress and former model, captivated audiences with her versatile performances in over 60 film and television productions, including Jerry Maguire, Twins, and Mischief.

Known for her radiant screen presence and roles alongside Hollywood icons, she also gained attention for her marriage to John Travolta.

Profile

• Full Name: Kelly Kamalelehua Smith
• Stage Name: Kelly Preston
• Born: October 13, 1962
• Died: July 12, 2020
• Age at Death: 57 years old
• Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Actress, Former Model
• Height: 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m)
• Parents: Linda Carlson, Peter Palzis
• Siblings: Chris Palzis
• Spouse: John Travolta (m. 1991–2020), Kevin Gage (m. 1985–1987)
• Children: Jett Travolta, Ella Bleu Travolta, Benjamin Travolta
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: Estimated $180 million USD

Early Life and Education

Kelly Preston, was born on October 13, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Her mother, Linda Carlson, was an administrator at a mental health center, and her biological father, who worked for an agricultural firm, drowned when Kelly was three years old.

Her mother later married Peter Palzis, a personnel director, who adopted Kelly, giving her the surname Palzis early in her career. She had a younger half-brother, Chris Palzis. Kelly’s childhood was marked by international experiences, including living in Iraq at age five and Australia during her teenage years (1976–1978), where she attended Pembroke School in Adelaide.

Returning to Hawaii, she graduated from Punahou High School in 1980, a prestigious institution also attended by Barack Obama. She pursued drama and theater studies at the University of Southern California and briefly attended UCLA, laying the groundwork for her acting career. Her ethnicity was American with mixed heritage, and she was a practicing Scientologist.

Career

Kelly Preston’s career began as a model at age 16, discovered by a fashion photographer in Australia, leading to commercials and small acting roles. She adopted the stage name “Preston” in 1984 after auditioning for The Blue Lagoon (1980), a role she lost to Brooke Shields. Her breakthrough came in 1985 with roles as Marilyn McCauley in Mischief and Deborah Ann Fimple in Secret Admirer, both teen romantic comedies.

She gained prominence in Twins (1988) as Marnie Mason, starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Her role as Avery Bishop in Jerry Maguire (1996) with Tom Cruise cemented her status as a versatile actress, followed by appearances in For Love of the Game (1999) with Kevin Costner, Holy Man (1998) with Eddie Murphy, and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) with George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino.

She collaborated with her husband, John Travolta, in The Experts (1989), Battlefield Earth (2000), where she played Terl’s girlfriend, and Gotti (2018) as Victoria Gotti. Other notable films include SpaceCamp (1986), The Cat in the Hat (2003), What a Girl Wants (2003), Sky High (2005) as a superheroine mother, and Old Dogs (2009). Her television credits include guest roles on Hawaii Five-O (1980), CHiPs, Quincy M.E., Fat Actress (2005), Medium (2008), and CSI: Cyber (2016).

She also appeared in Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved” music video in 2004. Preston’s career, spanning four decades, showcased her ability to excel in comedy, drama, and family films, working with stars like Kevin Spacey, Debra Winger, and Mike Myers.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @therealkellypreston

Personal Life

Kelly Preston, who passed away at 57, was married to John Travolta from 1991 until her death in 2020. They met during a screen test for The Experts (1987) and married in two ceremonies: one in Paris on September 5, 1991, and a second, legally recognized ceremony in Daytona Beach, Florida, on September 12, 1991, due to their Scientology affiliation.

They had three children: Jett (1992–2009), who died at 16 from a seizure related to Kawasaki disease and autism; Ella Bleu (b. 2000), an actress; and Benjamin (b. 2010). Preston was previously married to actor Kevin Gage (1985–1987), had a brief relationship with George Clooney (1987–1989), and was engaged to Charlie Sheen in 1990, ending the engagement after an accidental shooting incident, which she later clarified was not his fault.

Preston passed away on July 12, 2020, in Clearwater, Florida, after a two-year battle with breast cancer, treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and other facilities. Her death was announced by Travolta and Ella Bleu via Instagram.

Filmography:

• Christine (1983) – Roseanne
• 10 to Midnight (1983) – Doreen
• Mischief (1985) – Marilyn McCauley
• Secret Admirer (1985) – Deborah Ann Fimple
• SpaceCamp (1986) – Tish Ambrosei
• 52 Pick-Up (1986) – Cini
• Twins (1988) – Marnie Mason
• The Experts (1989) – Bonnie
• From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) – Newscaster Kelly Houge
• Jerry Maguire (1996) – Avery Bishop
• Addicted to Love (1997) – Linda Green
• Nothing to Lose (1997) – Ann Beam
• Holy Man (1998) – Kate Newell
• Jack Frost (1998) – Gabby Frost
• For Love of the Game (1999) – Jane Aubrey
• Battlefield Earth (2000) – Chirk
• What a Girl Wants (2003) – Libby Reynolds
• The Cat in the Hat (2003) – Joan Walden
• Sky High (2005) – Josie Stronghold/Jetstream
• Death Sentence (2007) – Helen Hume
• Old Dogs (2009) – Vicki Greer
• Casino Jack (2010) – Pam Abramoff
• Gotti (2018) – Victoria Gotti

Television:

• Hawaii Five-O (1980) – Guest Role
• CHiPs (1983) – Guest Role
• Quincy M.E. (1983) – Guest Role
• Tales from the Crypt (1991) – Guest Role
• Fat Actress (2005) – Recurring Role
• Medium (2008) – Recurring Role
• Suburban Shootout (2008) – Pilot
• The Tenth Circle (2008) – Laura Stone
• Kirstie Alley’s Big Life (2010) – Guest Role
• CSI: Cyber (2016) – Guest Role

Music Videos:

• “She Will Be Loved” (2004) – Maroon 5

Net Worth

Kelly Preston had an estimated net worth of $180 million USD at the time of her death in 2020, a figure combined with her husband, John Travolta, primarily driven by his successful acting career. Her individual contributions included earnings from over 60 film and television roles, such as Jerry Maguire ($273 million box office), Twins ($216 million), and Sky High.