- Title: FRANCE: John Travolta presents his latest action-packed film in Paris
- Date: 12th February 2010
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 11, 2010) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CHAMPS ELYSEES WITH ARC DE TRIOMPHE CINEMA ENTRANCE WITH POSTER "FROM PARIS WITH LOVE" ACTOR JONATHAN RHYS-MEYERS ARRIVES PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES RHYS-MEYERS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS JOHN TRAVOLTA ARRIVES WITH HIS WIFE KELLY PRESTON, CROWD CHEERING TRAVOLTA WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS MOVIE CAST AND DIRECTORS ENTERING ROOM FOR NEWS CONFERENCE PEOPLE APPLAUDING AT NEWS CONFERENCE "FROM PARIS WITH LOVE" MOVIE POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR, SAYING: "My athletic background and my dance background allowed me to do it with choreography, let's say. So, I didn't want to disappoint them and I was actually excited that someone really thought that at my age I could do this, you know, and I did it. I did probably 95 percent of my stunts." AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONATHAN RHYS-MEYERS, ACTOR, SAYING: "I first received the script to my house in London and I read it in 45 minutes, very very quickly, so I knew the film was going to have an incredibly fast pace. I knew that Luc Besson and Virginie Besson were going to produce it and I knew that Pierre Morel was going to direct it, I knew that John Travolta was going to be the star of it so all of these elements, immediately, to a young actor, are incredibly attractive." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR, SAYING: "Well I had the means and the wherewithal to help directly, meaning I have this large aircraft and it can hold a lot of supplies and people and I decided that being only two hours flying time from Haiti, that it would be wise to help by putting seven tonnes of medical supplies and food and other things they needed and 22 doctors. The most successful aspect of it was that I made sure that the supplies stayed with the doctors because with the UN and the Red Cross, it is very difficult, the paperwork is complicated for them to get the supplies they need to work, so I had the privilege to by-pass that and to make sure these supplies stayed with the doctors and they did for two weeks and they used all of the supplies and they saved hundreds of lives." TRAVOLTA STANDING UP AND LEAVING ROOM AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 27th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA8XI3L7NJJMMRFZAHUU08M46XT
- Story Text: John Travolta was in the French capital on Thursday (February 11) to premiere his latest action-packed film "From Paris with Love".
The American star gave a news conference in a luxury hotel, accompanied by fellow actor Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and the producers of the movie, Eric and Virginie Besson.
In the film, James Reese (Rhys-Meyers) is the assistant of the American ambassador to Paris. A bit naive, Reese who sometimes cooperates with the U.S. secret services, dreams of being a special agent. His wishes come true when he is given a real mission along with a very efficient and blood-thirsty partner, played by a bald Travolta, who ransacks Paris to foil a suicide attack plot.
"My athletic background and my dance background allowed me to do it with choreography, let's say. So, I didn't want to disappoint them and I was actually excited that someone really thought that at my age I could do this, you know, and I did it. I did probably 95 percent of my stunts," Travolta told the news conference.
Rhys-Meyers said the script had appealed to him straight away:
"I first received the script to my house in London and I read it in 45 minutes, very very quickly, so I knew the film was going to have an incredibly fast pace. I knew that Luc Besson and Virginie Besson were going to produce it and I knew that Pierre Morel was going to direct it, I knew that John Travolta was going to be the star of it so all of these elements, immediately, to a young actor, are incredibly attractive."
Travolta flew to France with his own Boeing 707. He had come straight from an aid mission to earthquake-stricken Haiti.
"Well I had the means and the wherewithal to help directly, meaning I have this large aircraft and it can hold a lot of supplies and people and I decided that being only two hours flying time from Haiti, that it would be wise to help by putting seven tonnes of medical supplies and food and other things they needed and 22 doctors. The most successful aspect of it was that I made sure that the supplies stayed with the doctors because with the UN and the Red Cross, it is very difficult, the paperwork is complicated for them to get the supplies they need to work, so I had the privilege to by-pass that and to make sure these supplies stayed with the doctors and they did for two weeks and they used all of the supplies and they saved hundreds of lives," said Travolta.
The new film, "From Paris With Love," has been the actor's worst start in almost a decade in the U.S.
The crime thriller opened at No. 3 with $8.1 million, falling short of modest industry expectations.
Travolta's previous worst opening was the $4.5 million start for "Lucky Numbers" in October 2000. Travolta was in theatres last November with "Old Dogs," which opened at ticket sales of $17 million.
"From Paris With Love" is distributed by Lionsgate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. It is directed by French filmmaker Pierre Morel. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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