Kirstie Alley and John Travolta, despite never being romantically involved, had a unique connection that Alley openly expressed throughout her life. In an appearance on “Celebrity Big Brother U.K.” in 2018, Alley referred to Travolta as the “greatest love” of her life. While discussing the ease of falling in love with leading men, she disclosed that she had developed feelings for two co-stars, Patrick Swayze and Travolta.
Alley admitted that she seriously considered marrying Travolta and even contemplated running off with him. She emphasized her deep love for him, stating that if she hadn’t been married at the time, she would have married him, envisioning a life where she would join him in his private plane.
During an interview on “The Dan Wootton Interview” podcast the same year, Alley revealed that refraining from a romantic relationship with Travolta was “the hardest decision” she had ever made. Despite their strong connection, she clarified that it was not a sexual relationship due to her commitment to her marriage with actor Parker Stevenson, from whom she later divorced in 1997.
In 2013, during an interview with Howard Stern, Alley mentioned that Travolta also had feelings for her, but they both chose not to act on them out of respect for her marriage. She confessed that it took her years to shift her perspective of Travolta from a romantic interest.
However, Travolta eventually married actress Kelly Preston in 1991. Alley shared an encounter with Preston during which Preston confronted her about flirting with Travolta. This interaction marked a turning point, leading Alley to make a decision, and it signified the end of any potential romantic involvement.
In a social media tribute on Monday following Alley’s passing, Travolta expressed that Kirstie was one of the most special relationships he had ever had, conveying love and anticipation of a future reunion.