Exclusive Photo: John Travolta at Wizard World for ‘The Fanatic’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 1, 2019 - 10:20am

CHICAGO – John Travolta continues to surprise by challenging himself in offbeat roles. His latest is “The Fanatic,” which had its nationwide release on August 30th. To promote the film and greet admirers, Travolta stopped by the Wizard World Comic Con in Chicago, and Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com shot an Exclusive Photo.

“The Fanatic” was based on a true story that actually occurred to co-writer/director Fred Durst, the front man for the band Limp Bizkit. The topic is extreme fandom and stalking, and Travolta portrays Moose, an autistic man who worships horror film actor Hunter Dunbar (Devon Sawa). After finding out where his hero lives, Moose begins stalking him relentlessly, escalating into a dangerous situation for Dunbar. Durst based the story on a fan who pursued him during the height of Limp Bizkit’s popularity.

John Travolta at Wizard World Comic Con Chicago, August 24th, 2019
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

John Joseph Travolta was born in New Jersey, and moved to New York City after high school to become an actor. After successful stage roles, he then moved to Los Angeles, where he made his major film debut in “Carrie” (1976). He also took on TV with his star-making portrayal of Vinnie Barbarino in “Welcome Back, Kotter.” Another break came in 1977, when he propelled into superstardom with the lead role in “Saturday Night Fever,” followed by another lead in “Grease” a year later. From that point on, John Travolta has made his mark in films (“Urban Cowboy,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Face/Off,” “Primary Colors,” “Hairspray” and the recent “Gotti”) and again on TV (“The People v. O.J. Simpson” as lawyer Robert Shapiro). John Travolta was interviewed by Patrick McDonald in 2018, and the audio for that chat is below.  

The Wizard World Comic Con is a national fan convention that travels to cities all over the country, including Chicago annually in August, where John Travolta made his appearance. The next Wizard World is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and for more details and ticket information, click here.

In an Exclusive Interview with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com from 2018, John Travolta talks about portraying real-life people, working with different directors, and the spiritual path that has been with him his entire life.

”The Fanatic” has a limited nationwide release, including Chicago, on August 30th. See local listings for theaters and show times. Featuring John Travolta, Devon Sawa, Ana Golja, Jacob Grodnik and James Paxton. Written by Fred Durst and Dave Bekerman. Directed by Fred Durst. Rated “R” For the full video interview of John Travolta by Patrick McDonald, click here.