Daughter of Elvis and Priscilla, Lisa Marie Presley passed away in January of 2023 after being hospitalized due to cardiac arrest at age 54. Many celebrity friends and family members took to social media to honor Persley’s memory, including her longtime friend John Travolta.
The pair allegedly met when she was eleven years old and her mother set up a meeting between the two of them following Elvis’s death. Lisa Marie was a fan of Travolta’s, who had recently starred in Grease at the time. They later sparked dating rumors, but did not become friends in earnest until Lisa Marie Presley joined the church of Scientology.
Travolta joined the Church of Scientology in 1975 after being influenced by actress Joan Prather. Presley later joined him in 1977 when her mother was recruited into the religion by Travolta’s assistant, according to OK Magazine.
He was reportedly the last of Presley’s Scientology friends after she left the religion and was involved in a behind-the-scenes battle against the church. In an interview before her death, she told Tony Ortega that Travolta was always very sheltered from the rest of the world. She said he had no internet or social media, and he only knew which celebrities had left the religion or were rallying against it when she told him about it.
Presley was also reportedly very close with Travolta’s late wife Kelly Preston, who passed away in 2020. According to The US Sun, the pair became very close through Scientology and remained that way even after Presley left the church. Their families often vacationed together and the deaths of Preston, Presley, and two of their children were very difficult for everyone involved.
With the death of his son in 2009, his wife in 2020, and Presley in 2023, Travolta has had an emotional past few years. He continues to honor his late wife, child, and friend on social media, posting about them often.
The loss of Lisa Marie Presley was felt by many people in the entertainment world, in and out of Scientology. Actors and musicians including Leah Remini, Billy Corgan, and LeAnn Rimes took to social media to pay tribute to the singer’s life and legacy. Despite her relationship with the religion she seemed to have a lasting impact on the people she met through the church, especially Travolta and his family.
