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John Travolta shocks 'Grease' fans with surprise Danny Zuko appearance© Getty Images

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John Travolta shocks 'Grease' fans with surprise Danny Zuko appearance

Travolta appeared at a sing-along screening as his beloved character


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
JUNE 30, 2025 11:51 AM EDT

John Travolta is returning to one of the biggest roles of his career. The actor and '80s icon surprised audiences at the Hollywood Bowl this past Friday, coming out dressed as Danny Zuko right before the sing-along screening of "Grease." 

John Travolta shocks 'Grease' fans with surprise Danny Zuko appearance© Getty Images
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John star in 'Grease,' one of the biggest musicals of all time

Travolta shared his thoughts on Instagram, adding some photos of his hair coiffed and styled in the style of the film. 

"Tonight at the Hollywood Bowl, for the first time I surprised everyone at the GREASE Sing-A-Long and dressed up as Danny Zuko," he wrote, adding a video of himself entering the theater to the delight of fans and onlookers. "No one knew. Not even the cast. Thank you for a great evening."

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in 1977, celebrating their work in "Grease"© Getty Images
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in 1977, celebrating their work in "Grease"

The clip shows the moment Travolta came onstage as Zuko, greeting cast members, who looked shocked, and prompting an excited reaction from the audience. Travolta addressed the crowd as his character and prompted a chant from the hit song "We Go Together." 

"Enjoy the show, we love you!" he said. The post received comments and support from all sorts of friends and celebrities, including Michelle Pfeiffer, who starred in "Grease 2." "Oh wish I was there," she wrote, adding various emojis.

View post on Instagram
 

More details about the screening

The "Grease" screening featured appearances from some of the original cast members, including Barry Pearl, Didi Conn, Barry Pearl, Kelly Ward, and Michael Tucci. The pre-show chat also featured the movie's director, Randal Kleiser, who opened up about the process of making the movie and its cultural legacy and impact. 

"Grease" was released in 1978, starring Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John. While the film was made with a budget of $6 million, it became Paramount Studios' biggest hit of the year, grossing over $130 million. 

The film received five Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nod for best original song for "Hopelessly Devoted to You." As of this writing, the movie remains one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time, following "Wicked," "Mamma Mia!" and "Les Misérables."

Travolta and Newton-John reunited in 2018 for a special screening of the film. Newton-John died in 2022© Penske Media via Getty Images
Travolta and Newton-John reunited in 2018 for a special screening of the film. Newton-John died in 2022

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