John Travolta turned heads at the Cannes Film Festival with a new look inspired by classic film directors.

The 72-year-old actor attended the event to promote his directorial debut, 'Propeller One-Way Night Coach,' which stars his daughter Ella Bleu.

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Travolta wore round glasses and a series of berets during the festival. In an interview with CNN on Monday, he explained the reasoning behind his stylistic transformation.

"I said, 'I'm a director this time. You're an actor, play the part of a director, look like an old-school director,'" Travolta said.

Homage to Classic Filmmakers

His wardrobe choice was a deliberate tribute to filmmakers from earlier decades. Travolta researched images from the 1920s through the 1960s.

"So I looked up pictures from the '20, '30s, '40s, '50, '60s, and the old-school directors wore berets, and the glasses, and I thought, 'That's what I'm doing.

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I'm doing an homage to being a director, so I'm going to play the part of being a director,'" he said.

The aesthetic shift has also provided a sense of renewed energy for the star, according to a report by In Touch last week.

Travolta noted that the distinct wardrobe would serve as a visual marker for his memories of the event.

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"I'll know — 'Oh, that was Propeller One-Way Night Coach, that was Cannes, that's when I won the Palme d'Or,' and I'll have a vividness of it," he told CNN.

Honorary Palme d'Or Surprise

Before the world premiere of his film, Cannes Festival delegate Thierry Frémaux surprised Travolta with an honorary Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement.

The unexpected tribute left the actor visibly emotional.

"Beyond the Oscar," Travolta said of the honor.

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Travolta's directorial debut 'Propeller One-Way Night Coach' marks a new chapter in his career. The film features his daughter Ella Bleu in a starring role.