Kelly Preston Net Worth, Age, Husband, Kids, and Family
Last updated: October 12, 2026
Kelly Preston was one of those actresses audiences instantly warmed to. She could play the girl next door in a teen comedy and then turn around and steal a scene in a major Hollywood drama. Even years after her passing, people still search for her age, her net worth, her husband, her children and the family she left behind. This guide pulls all of that together in one place, with sources linked so you can read further.
Table of Contents
- Kelly Preston Biography at a Glance
- Kelly Preston Age and Birth Details
- Kelly Preston Height and Weight
- Kelly Preston Parents and Siblings
- Kelly Preston Education
- Kelly Preston Career and Major Roles
- Kelly Preston Husband and Relationships
- Kelly Preston Children
- Kelly Preston Religion
- Kelly Preston Net Worth
- Kelly Preston Death and Cause
- Kelly Preston Social Media
- Legacy and Remembrance
- Frequently Asked Questions
Kelly Preston Biography at a Glance
Here is a quick snapshot of the most searched facts about her life. Each one is covered in more detail further down the page.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Birth Name | Kelly Kamalelehua Smith |
| Stage Name | Kelly Preston |
| Date of Birth | October 13, 1962 |
| Birthplace | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Age at Death | 57 years |
| Age if Alive in 2026 | 64 years (on October 13, 2026) |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) |
| Weight | Around 57 kg (126 lbs) |
| Profession | Actress and model |
| Education | Punahou School, with college drama studies at USC and UCLA |
| Religion | Scientology |
| Spouse | John Travolta (1991 to 2020) |
| Previous Marriage | Kevin Gage (1985 to 1987) |
| Children | Jett, Ella Bleu and Benjamin |
| Mother | Linda Carlson |
| Father | Peter Palzis (stepfather who adopted her) |
| Sibling | Chris Palzis (younger half brother) |
| Estimated Net Worth | $180 million to $190 million (combined with John Travolta) |
| Date of Death | July 12, 2020 |
Kelly Preston Age and Birth Details
Birth Date and Birthplace
Kelly Preston was born on October 13, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii. According to IMDb, her birth name was Kelly Kamalelehua Smith. The middle name comes from her Hawaiian roots, and she kept a lasting connection to the islands, which is why her high school years in Honolulu mattered so much to her.
How Old Would She Be Now?
She passed away on July 12, 2020, at the age of 57, only a few months before her 58th birthday. If she were alive today, Kelly Preston would turn 64 on October 13, 2026. Fans still mark the date each year with tributes online, and her family often shares memories around it.
Kelly Preston Height and Weight
Kelly Preston stood 5 feet 6 inches tall, which is about 168 cm. IMDb’s FAQ page lists the same figure. Her weight was reported at around 57 kg, or roughly 126 pounds, which suited her slim, athletic frame. She stayed active throughout her life, and tennis was one of her favorite ways to keep fit even in later years.
Kelly Preston Parents and Siblings
Mother and Father
Her mother, Linda Carlson, worked as an administrator at a mental health center. Linda passed away in 2018. Kelly’s biological father, who worked for an agricultural firm, drowned when she was only three years old. Her mother later married Peter Palzis, a personnel director, who adopted Kelly. That is why she briefly used the surname Palzis at the start of her acting career, including in her early soap opera credits. Some biographies also mention Lee Carlson as another stepfather figure in her life.
Because of her father’s work, the family lived in different parts of the world while she was a child, including time in Iraq and Australia. It was in Australia that a fashion photographer first noticed her, which opened the door to modeling.
Brother
Kelly had a younger half brother named Chris Palzis, who has worked in film and television production. Details about the rest of her extended family are limited, as she kept most of her private life away from the press.
Kelly Preston Education
Kelly attended the Pembroke School in Adelaide, Australia, during the years her family lived there. She later returned to Hawaii and graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu in 1980, according to a Star Advertiser tribute. Punahou is one of the best known schools in the state.
After high school she studied drama and theater at the University of Southern California (USC) and then spent time at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her acting career took off quickly, so she never completed a degree. She did keep learning her craft though, studying under respected acting coach Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
Kelly Preston Career and Major Roles
Over roughly four decades, Kelly Preston appeared in more than 60 film and television productions. Her path was a steady climb rather than an overnight explosion, and that gave her real staying power.
Early Career
She began with modeling and commercials as a teenager, and she even did endorsement work for Neutrogena. Her acting debut came on the CBS daytime soap opera Capitol, which ran from 1982 to 1987, where she was credited as Kelly Palzis. She then took the name Kelly Preston and moved into primetime with the short lived series For Love and Honor. Her first film role came in 10 to Midnight in 1983.
Breakthrough Film Roles
The 1980s gave her a run of popular titles. She appeared in teen comedies like Mischief and Secret Admirer in 1985, followed by SpaceCamp and 52 Pick Up in 1986. Her real breakout moment arrived with Ivan Reitman’s Twins in 1988, where she played Marnie Mason opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
The 1990s made her a household name. Her turn as Avery Bishop in Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire in 1996 remains her most recognized performance. She also appeared in From Dusk Till Dawn, Addicted to Love, Holy Man, Jack Frost and For Love of the Game. In the 2000s she continued with The Cat in the Hat, What a Girl Wants and Sky High. You can browse her full credits on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb.
Films With John Travolta
She shared the screen with her husband several times. Their projects together include The Experts in 1989, Battlefield Earth in 2000 and Old Dogs in 2009. Her final film role was Victoria Gotti in the crime drama Gotti in 2018. More career details are collected on LittleThings.
Kelly Preston Husband and Relationships
Marriage to John Travolta
Kelly Preston married John Travolta on September 12, 1991, and the two stayed together until her death in 2020, nearly thirty years later. Their relationship was widely admired in Hollywood for its stability. IMDb notes that they had two separate wedding ceremonies about a week apart. They raised their children together, leaned on each other through the loss of their eldest son, and worked on several films as a team.
Earlier Marriage and Past Relationships
Before Travolta, Kelly was married to actor Kevin Gage from 1985 to 1987. She was also linked with George Clooney in the late 1980s, and Charlie Sheen proposed to her in 1989 with a pink diamond ring, though the two never married. She dated actor Luke Perry briefly in 1990 as well. After meeting Travolta, she settled into the long marriage that defined her adult life.
Kelly Preston Children
Kelly and John Travolta had three children, and the family story is one of both joy and deep sorrow.
Jett Travolta was born on April 13, 1992. He passed away in January 2009 at the age of 16 during a family vacation in the Bahamas. Jett lived with Kawasaki syndrome as a young child, which led Kelly to support children’s health causes through the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition. The loss changed the family forever, and Kelly spoke openly about how much support she needed afterwards.
Ella Bleu Travolta was born on April 3, 2000, and is now 26 years old. She followed her parents into the entertainment industry as an actress and musician, and she often pays tribute to her mother on social media.
Benjamin Travolta was born on November 23, 2010, and is 15 years old in 2026. He turns 16 in November. The family keeps him mostly out of the spotlight. You can read a full overview of the kids on People.
Kelly Preston Religion
Kelly Preston practiced Scientology. She was introduced to the faith by her acting coach Milton Katselas, and she remained a member for the rest of her life. John Travolta shared the same faith, and the couple were active in the church throughout their marriage.
In interviews, she said that auditing sessions and the support of fellow members helped her cope after Jett’s sudden death in 2009. She discussed her beliefs in a Business Insider interview, and you can find a broader overview of famous members on CBS News.
Kelly Preston Net Worth
Combined Family Fortune
Kelly Preston’s wealth is usually discussed alongside her husband’s. Sources such as Celebrity Net Worth and IBTimes place their combined fortune at around $180 million to $190 million at the time of her passing in 2020. A large share of that number comes from John Travolta’s long career, though Kelly’s own four decades of film and television work added to it.
Real Estate Holdings
The couple owned several valuable properties, including homes in Los Angeles, a mansion in Clearwater, Florida, an aviation estate in Ocala, Florida, and an oceanfront estate in Islesboro, Maine. The Maine home later went on the market, as covered by Business Insider. Their love of aviation was a big part of their lifestyle, and the Ocala property was built around it.
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Kelly Preston Death and Cause
Kelly Preston died on July 12, 2020, at the age of 57 after a two year private battle with breast cancer. John Travolta confirmed the news publicly, and the announcement surprised many fans because she had kept her diagnosis away from the public. She received treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center and other medical facilities. People magazine reported the details at the time, and NBC News covered the story as well.
Kelly Preston Social Media
Her official profiles remain online as a tribute. Her Instagram account is @therealkellypreston, where her last post on June 21, 2020, was a Father’s Day message for John Travolta and their children. There is also a Facebook page and a fan focused X account. Many fans visit these pages to leave messages and revisit old photos.
Legacy and Remembrance
Kelly Preston is remembered for far more than her film credits. People talk about her warmth, her humor and her devotion to her family. She supported causes related to children’s health and education, and she spoke openly about being sober for more than 15 years. Her films continue to find new audiences on streaming platforms, and her daughter Ella Bleu keeps her memory alive through public tributes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Kelly Preston when she died?
Kelly Preston was 57 years old when she died on July 12, 2020. She was born on October 13, 1962, so she would have turned 64 in October 2026.
What is Kelly Preston’s net worth?
Her combined net worth with John Travolta was estimated at $180 million to $190 million at the time of her death in 2020.
Who was Kelly Preston married to?
She was married to John Travolta from 1991 until her death in 2020. Earlier, she was married to actor Kevin Gage from 1985 to 1987.
How many children did Kelly Preston have?
She had three children: Jett (1992 to 2009), Ella Bleu (born 2000) and Benjamin (born 2010).
How tall was Kelly Preston?
She was 5 feet 6 inches tall, or about 168 cm, and weighed around 57 kg.
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