His screen presence is captivating – in the truest sense of the word. His bright, alert eyes are riveting as is his incredible physicality, which mesmerizes the audience.

Without a doubt, John Travolta is one of the greatest stars of his craft and is convincing in nearly every genre. He fills the entire screen, claiming the space for himself. And that’s the way he portrays his roles: with gripping intensity – whether as a gifted disco dancer, philosophical hitman, or an unscrupulous blackmail artist – Travolta bears witness to his skill as an actor with every performance.

Born as the youngest of six siblings, his mother, an actress, already gave him his first acting lessons when he was just a child. At the age of 16, he moved to New York and celebrated his first successes on the city’s stages. His role in the popular TV series “Welcome Back, Kotter” soon made him a teen idol. Travolta was able to make the ultimate breakthrough as Tony Manero in “Saturday Night Fever” – a role that earned him his first Oscar nomination and created a worldwide sensation. Later he starred in the musical film “Grease” and again created a worldwide phenomenon.

He received his second Oscar nomination for his role as Vincent Vega in the 1994 cult film “Pulp Fiction”. He displayed his comic talent as a film-loving Mafioso in “Get Shorty” and received a Golden Globe for his performance. He demonstrates his diversity in both action-packed thrillers and films like “Hairspray”, where he assumed the female part, wowing the audience and fascinating the film world with yet another facet of his art.

In the 2010 cinematic year, John Travolta raged as the bald-headed US agent Charlie Wax in “From Paris with Love”. The entire film lives from the absurdly funny dynamics between Travolta and his partner Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Travolta thereby seems to really enjoy his active, exaggerated role as a tough and crazy fighting machine. As always, he masters the fine line between comedy and action with flying colors.

"The way John Travolta chooses his roles and the variety of characters he portrays shows a lot of courage. He doesn't follow the same pattern and always shows us a different face. By doing that he continues to amaze his audience, especially when he plays with his appearance and look. John Travolta is iconic and is one of the greatest actors in the world", says HÖRZU of being able to bestow this award to John Travolta.

Laudatory Speech: Robin Gibb

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