Kelly Preston Kept Her Breast Cancer a Secret on Her Final Film, Co-Star Says

Preston's co-star on her last movie said "you would never have known" she had cancer.

In Jul. 2020, Kelly Preston lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. The actor and wife of John Travolta left behind two children and a long list of beloved movie roles. And her final film, Off the Rails, is now seeing the light of day. In a recent interview, one of Preston's co-stars said she kept her cancer diagnosis a secret when the movie was filming in 2019. In fact, she said "you would never have known" Preston was battling cancer while starring in what would become her last role. Read on to find out what those close to her said about her final farewell to Hollywood.

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Kelly Preston's co-star said the actor, like other late stars before her, kept her illness a secret on set.

Kelly Preston in "Off the Rails" movie
Screen Media Films

According to the Daily Mirror, Preston's Off the Rails co-star Sally Phillips discussed the late actor while on the British talk show Loose Women on July 22. Phillips said she and Preston got close while filming Off the Rails in Spain in 2019, but Preston kept her battle with breast cancer a secret from the cast and crew. "She was so bloomin' beautiful. And so vibrant, and you would never have known. She was so professional," said Phillips.

Phillips also pointed out that this seems to be common in Hollywood. "That's what people do—they go through it on their own because of worries about insurance for the film and working again afterwards," she said. "We've had a couple of high profile examples of that recently, haven't we? Chadwick [Boseman] and Helen McCrory didn't tell anyone."

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Preston's Off the Rails co-stars honored her on the red carpet.

Sally Phillips and Jenny Seagrove
Getty Images/David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage

On the red carpet for the premiere of Off the Rails on July 22, Preston's co-stars Phillips and Jenny Seagrove kept her memory alive in a very special way. The pair wore brightly colored necklaces on gold chains that read "Kelly." Phillips donned a pink necklace, while Seagrove sported the same accessory in blue to match her pantsuit.

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Both stars have lamented not having Preston here for the movie release.

On July 22, Phillips shared a photo on Instagram of her and Seagrove posing on the red carpet. The caption read, "Only two when there should have been three."

A few days earlier, on June 18, Seagrove shared an image on Instagram of some of the cast and crew on location in Spain. Seagrove wrote, "Our glorious funny film Off the Rails opens July 23…but sadly not with our darling friend Kelly Preston who we lost last year." She added, "This is for her."

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John Travolta said Preston was "very proud" of her final role.

 

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Preston's husband John Travolta also took to Instagram on July 22 to share a message about Preston and Off the Rails. He posted the trailer for the movie, which is being released in the U.K. and Ireland this week, and follows a young girl who fulfills her late mother's dream to complete a road trip she started when she was younger with her mom's three best friends, one of whom is played by Preston. "Off the Rails is Kelly's last film," wrote Travolta. "She was very proud of it and of all of the wonderful talent that she got to work with in it."

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