Kelly Preston, ‘Jerry Maguire’ and ‘What a Girl Wants’ Star, Dies at 57

Actress Kelly Preston has died of breast cancer at the age of 57. In a statement posted on Instagram, Preston’s husband John Travolta revealed that the actress passed away on Sunday, July 12 after a two-year battle with breast cancer. Preston is best known for roles in What a Girl Wants, Jerry Maguire, and Mike Myers’ 2003 adaptation of The Cat in the Hat.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer,” Travolta wrote on Instagram late Sunday night. “She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side.”

“Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered,” he continued. “I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.”

In a statement provided to People, a family representative said that Preston did not reveal her breast cancer diagnosis out of a desire for privacy. “She had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends,” said the rep. “She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched. Her family asks for your understanding of their need for privacy at this time.”

Preston appeared in countless television and film projects over the past 30 years, including episodes of Hawaii Five-O (her first official role), Joey, and CSI: Cyber. Her breakout role came in 1985 with teen comedy Mischief, followed by larger roles in Twins (1988) and The Experts (1989), where Preston and Travolta first met.

The couple married in 1991 and went on to have three children: Jett, who tragically died while the family was on vacation in 2009; Ella, 20; and Benjamin, 10.

Preston continued to appear in big-name projects throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, most notably Jerry Maguire, in which she plays Tom Cruise’s fiancée Avery, Amanda Bynes’ What a Girl Wants, Sky High, and Casino Jack. The actress most recently starred in Travolta’s 2018 biopic Gotti; she is also expected to appear in Jules Williamson’s upcoming comedy Off the Rails, which is currently in post-production.

Rest in Peace, Kelly Preston. You will be missed.

Where to stream Jerry Maguire