John Travolta and his daughter, Ella, are testing the boundaries of their relationship in the upcoming film, Black Tides.
Deadline reported on Monday, October 20, that Travolta, 71, will star in Black Tides alongside Melissa Barrera. Ella, 25, will have a key role in the thriller alongside Álvaro Mel and Dylan Torrell. Details about Ella’s character have yet to be announced.
According to the outlet, Black Tides will follow an estranged father (Travolta) trying to reconnect with his daughter (Barrera) and grandson (Torrell) during a sailing adventure off the Spanish coast. However, disaster strikes when their boat is attacked by a pod of rogue orcas. The battle with the killer whales will lead to a fight for survival for the ship’s crew in the open waters.
Filming for Black Tides has begun with principal photography in Gran Canaria, Spain.
“Shooting at sea is one of the hardest things you can do in film but the footage we’re getting is stunning,” producer Adrián Guerra said to Deadline. “The cast has bonded in a way that’s rare and powerful, and Renny’s directing chops are on full display — balancing raw spectacle with real human emotion.”
Black Tides will be Ella’s fifth on-screen role. She previously appeared in 2009’s Old Dogs and 2019’s The Poison Rose alongside her father. Ella has also had roles in the films Get Lost, and Nice People, which are currently awaiting release.
Ella is the daughter of Travolta and late wife Kelly Preston. The couple also shared sons Benjamin, 14 and Jett. (Jett died in 2009 at age 16 after suffering a seizure while he and his family were visiting the Bahamas.)
Preston died in 2020 following a private battle with breast cancer. She was 57 years old.
“She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many,” Travolta wrote via Instagram while announcing Preston’s passing. “Forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.”
Earlier this year, Ella penned a touching tribute in honor of her mom on Mother’s Day, five years after her death.
“Happy Mother’s Day to the strongest, most beautiful, loving, funny, smart woman I know,” Ella wrote via her Instagram Story alongside throwback photos of Preston holding her when she was a baby. “I love you.”
Over the years, Ella has been candid about being inspired by her parents’ career path and her dreams to follow in their creative footsteps. In a 2023 interview with People, Ella gushed about how much she’s loved working with her dad on various projects/
“I always jump at the opportunity to do something with my dad and we always have the most fun doing something together,” she reflected. “So, hopefully we’ll do something soon again. Maybe another project or movie. I’m always up for that.”
In addition to acting, Ella has dabbled in music, as she has released multiple albums.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve really loved singing and performing — whether it was acting, dancing, singing,” Ella told People, adding that her dad was “really proud” of her musical endeavors.