Friday Feature II: Travolta and Depardieu

“I had seen Going Places in 1974, and I just loved him [Depardieu] ever since that movie. So by the time 1978 came around, four years later, I sought him out. I thought, ‘I’m in Paris. This is probably where he lives. I’ve got to find him.’ And I found him. He couldn’t speak a word of English. And I just basically told him through a translator how crazy I was about him. And we struck up a friendship. He was blown away that someone from that far away would come seek him out. He learned a little English for me, and I learned a little French from him. And we had this very interesting relationship.

“Gérard was very much the kind of man that I responded to. He was affectionate. He was smart. He was artistic. And approachable. Whatever neurosis he may or may not have had was not affecting his relationships. He was spirited and funny and all those great things that I like in a person, but in particular I liked in him as a man. Because it’s tough to be a man in the world, I think. I don’t think men know how to do it. How do they remain all these things and be effective and all that stuff? I just think that innately Gérard has it, and he isn’t afraid of any part of his personality. I really like that.”