John Travolta Says He Was Drawn to ‘The Shepherd’ Because ‘I Knew What It Felt Like to Absolutely Think You’re Going To Die’
variety.comK.J. Yossman John Travolta has revealed it was his own near-death experience while flying a plane on Thanksgiving that first drew him to “The Shepherd,” the new Alfonso Cuarón-produced short film set to premiere on Disney+ this winter.
The film, which is based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella of the same name, tells the story of Freddie Hooke (played by Ben Radcliffe), a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home for Christmas across the North Sea.
Shortly into the journey his de Havilland Vampire jet suffers total electrical failure, leaving Freddie facing almost certain death.
Suddenly a mysterious pilot (played by Travolta) appears in the sky, ready to guide the young man to safety. Travolta eschewed a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday evening in favor of attending the film’s intimate premiere in London, where he watched “The Shepherd” on a big screen for the first time before participating in a Q&A alongside writer and director Iain Softley.
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