John Travolta reveals film inspired by near-death experiences while flying with family

John Travolta said he was inspired to make his new film by a near-death experience he recently had.

The BBC reports that the actor will star in the film The shepherdadapted from a novella by Frederick Forsyth, told an audience in London:

“The beauty of the project is that I experienced a total blackout over Washington DC, not in a vampire, but in a corporate jet, before I discovered the book.

“When I read the book, it resonated more because of the experience I had personally. I knew what it felt like to absolutely believe you were going to die because I had two good jet engines, but I had no instruments, no power, nothing.

“And I thought it was over, just like this boy, so beautifully captured [by actor Ben Radcliffe]. He captured that desperation when you think you’re really going to die.

“I had my family on board and I said, ‘This is it, I can’t believe I’m going to die on this plane. And then, miraculously, we descended to a lower altitude, I saw the Washington DC monument and noticed that the Washington National Airport was right next to it, and I landed. So I read this book and say, “I experienced this.”

Travolta first dreamed of adapting the book thirty years ago, when he himself played the role of the young pilot who gets into trouble. “I was young enough to play that role then,” he jokes. “But I had to wait thirty years before I could play a shepherd.”

The film was largely shot in Great Britain.