Entertainment

‘Very genuine human being’: Winnipegger has chance encounter with John Travolta

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A Winnipegger describes his chance encounter with John Travolta, who is filming a movie in the city.

A Winnipeg man was able to have a brief interaction with a Hollywood legend who is in town shooting a movie.

Kevin Kipling was at the Fort Garry Hotel on Wednesday for a business meeting and was having a coffee inside as he arrived early.

When he was sipping his coffee, he saw John Travolta walk into the room. The star of ‘Grease,’ ‘Pulp Fiction,’ and ‘Saturday Night Fever’ is in Winnipeg filming a movie.

“He looked familiar to me,” Kipling said. “I was amazed right off the bat. And then, we waved at each other, and I went over and started talking to him.”

john travolta winnipeg Kevin Kipling (right) poses for a photo with actor John Travolta at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg on July 9, 2025. (Kevin Kipling)

Kipling said Travolta asked him to sit down, asked his name, what he did for a living and even snapped a picture with him after asking.

Kipling added that he was worried when he walked up to Travolta, but said any fears quickly went away.

“A very genuine human being, that’s all I got to say,” Kipling said, noting the conversation lasted only a few minutes.

Travolta is starring in ‘November 1963,’ a film examining the alleged role of the Mafia in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The film also stars Mandy Patinkin and Dermot Mulroney.

Crews have been spotted filming the movie in the Norwood Flats neighbourhood.