John Travolta dodges scandal and allegations of ‘dark side’
John Travolta has been successful in dodging rumors of sexual battery and questions about his sexual orientation.
John Travolta, one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood and one the most famous Scientologists in the U.S., has reportedly been able to “handle” repeated claims of sexual assault and rumors of him being gay.
The scandals that have surrounded Travolta, 64, including a claim of sexual battery made by a male masseur that surfaced in November, have managed to fall by the wayside and fail to impact him or his wife Kelly Preston thanks in part to his lawyer Marty Singer, The Daily Beast reported Friday.
The Travolta-Preston power couple has mainly stayed unscathed because Preston is a big Scientology devotee and that she “anchors” Travolta, former Scientologists told The Daily Beast.
“Kelly is a much more dedicated Scientologist than John,” Mike Rinder, a former Scientology spokesman, told The Daily Beast. “Scientology dictates every choice in life and informs every decision a Scientologist makes.”
Actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston pose for photographers during a photo call for the film 'Gotti' at the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)
As far as the rumors that the “Gotti” star is gay, Rinder said it would be a “catastrophe” if Travolta or someone in Scientology were to come out as gay because the church itself is “anti-gay.”
Karen de La Carriere, a former Scientology executive, told the news outlet that the church's intense instruction includes training to not believe what is said in the media.
“The church has a very intense indoctrination to prepare you for anything you might hear,” she said. “It’s like a pre-emptive strike in case something uncomfortable comes up. Kelly’s been trained to not believe what she hears in the media. She’s been trained to think that these are evil people making things up.”
Jeffrey Augustine, a former Scientologist and de La Carriere’s husband, alluded to Travolta’s interest in Hollywood waning, but said the actor could never leave Scientology.
“John loves aviation more than Hollywood but because of Kelly he’d never leave Scientology,” Augustine said. “He loves his family. He’s just got a dark side and he’s reckless. But he really has no reason to want to leave the church. People at his level never see the ugly side of the church. Plus he’s got OSA [Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs] as his own private Mafia if he gets into trouble.”
Travolta has been a Scientologist since 1975 and is among the big names in the religion that also include Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Moss.
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