Paul Fischer: Was this a character that you really wanted to play or was it this
tribute to fireman that was more interesting to you?
John Travolta: It was mostly the tribute to fireman, but I felt like how best for me to fit in is to play the Captain or the Chief. That would be - I would buy  that, because I'm older than the other actors, I've a kind of seniority  anyway. So it would fit in. But the subject matter is very interesting in  light of 911 because of these very humble and honest gentlemen and woman  that don't ask for any attention and suddenly are getting the light that  they deserve. Because truly we are the first movie that's shedding light on  the firefighter - not the arsonist - so we are almost a different genre to  a greater or lesser degree.

P.F: Did you assume that kind of relationship with the actors given the  paternal onscreen relationship you share with these characters. Did that  manifest itself off screen as well?
J.T: It kind of did and it still is because i'm flying the actors around the  country to promote the movie. In my plane. I'm the captain of my plane so  it's carried from screen to off-screen.

P.F.: Did you meet with any of the firemen that were in 911?
J.T: Yeah, but I met with them before - when I wasn't doing a movie. I met  with them, I went on the site and that's where they first got under my skin - this group of people--

P.F: To ground zero?
J.T:I went to ground zero, then I went on a tour that included a lot of fire  homes around the country and that's where I got my feeling about them, and  when the script came - I don't know how long ago,  it was a year later or  something - I really thought "wow this must be kismet or some sort" because  I felt a kinship to them and I wanted to carry it through. And what a way to  carry it through. What a bigger and better way than to do a movie that  understands them.

P.F.: The chemistry of you guys in unbelievable. Joaquin and you are brand names  and all that. Everybody is a singular star. Do you think that has something  to do with the 'camp?' you all experienced?
J.T : Oh, I know it does. It one hundred percent affected everything. It's  really Jay Russell's brilliance that - It was his idea. We've talked before.  I'm an actor that has to do my research that has to do my due diligence to  be in a part. I would have gone to school whether I was asked to or not but  the idea that he mandated everybody to do it was a stroke of genius, because  I felt We could protect ourselves if any real dangers came in to be b:  we'd be getting a bonding of some sort and c: We would get technical  accuracy so we could be on film and not make a mistake or a false note and  then you could throw in real firefighters with us and you couldn't tell the difference.

P.F: Morris Chestnut was saying that you guys really responded to some real  calls. DId all of a sudden somebody have a fire then all of a sudden John  Travolta shows up?
J.T: Kind of, there was a car fire there and there was a small house fire --  everybody I think got at least [flip tape - I think he said one fire?]

P.F: So do you think they knew that they showed up?

J.T: It might have happened after the fact. Sure.

P.F: Were there any close calls on the set when you were doing the fire effects?
J.T: The training there were some close calls. Joaquin and I got lost in the fire and then . During the shooting I burned my hands on his jacket because...I forgot the flames were heating up the metal.

P.F. :Having played of late so many kind of fairly intense characters, very  dramatic characters, a bit of a relief for you to go off and do the "Get Shorty," the "Stay Cool"  and try to let yourself loose again?
J.T: They were a relief to do. I was playing such bad guys. It was more of a  relief to do this movie to play a good guy, you know what i mean. it was  kind of fun because I've been playing a kind of villain lately. It was kind  of fun to get to--

P.F: The Shorty sequel you play a good guy.
J.T: That was after though. So I did "Basic," the "Punisher," so it was a  relief. The truth is, you know, you've known me for - - I like to  jockey between the types of roles. This last year there was four different  types of roles. "Basic" was a questionable character. You've got "Punisher"  which was a villain, you've got "Ladder 49" which was a decent fella, you've  got "Love Song for Bobby "" which was a alcoholic professor, and then  you've got Chilli Palmer in the sequel "Be Cool." So they're all different  types, but if you notice they are a relief from each other. You see there's  something new to play each time and if I can orchestrate them so i remain  interested each time, i go out then it's something fun for me .

PF: It must be important for you to try and find different characters
JT: Yes

P.F: Is it challenging to do the older you--
J.T: Well it's easier to do the older I get because believe it or not there are  more diversified characters as one gets older than there is when they're'e  younger. There's more life to base those people on. I look at these roles  like - when ten years ago when I was acting with Gene Hackman and Robert  Duvall--  I'm doing now what they did. I was Joaquin to their - you see what  I mean?

P.F.:     So they are older statesmen type.
J.T Yeah, and I like that. It's a great. And sometimes I go off and play the  lead and so it's nice and very --

P.F:      And definitely no Grease 3 Right?
J.T:       Oh God no.

P.F:      That seems to be the perennial  rumor
J.T:       Well that and the prequel to Pulp Fiction, "The Vega Brothers." If  there's truth to the "Vega Brothers" that's only in Quentin's imagination.  That's never been presented to me but a "Grease 3," I just don't want to do.  There's nothing about it that is - I didn't do two why would I do a three?

PF:       What do you do in your spare time when you are not working?
J.T:       I fly my planes around the world. I have a Boeing 707 that I fly for QANTAS. I am a hired pilot for QANTAS, I fly for them.

PF:            Commercially?
J.T:       Well kind of because I'm a pilot for them. Their ambassador at large, but I fly their executives.

P.F:      So we wouldn't be on a Qantas plane and there would be "hello this is your pilot John Travolta."
J.T:       No, but you might be one of their executives and find me as your captain.

PF:       When you're flying around the world?? (couldn't quite hear it) I fly mostly, I study Scientology. I take my family on lots of adventures.

P.F:      Where do you fly your family to? What is the most exotic place?
J.T:       Africa. This year we went to safari in Africa. That was awesome.

P.F:            Photography or hunting?
J.T:       Oh Photography. No, no. It's not my style. However, the surprise was the  kids liked it better than a beach vacation. In other words they were on  these open-air Jeeps for 7-9 hours a day and didn't want to get off. We're  talking about a 4-year-old and a 12-year-old so what I say to people is save  their pennies and go on these safaris because they're captivating. I don't  know what it is about them. I would have though. Oh God. i've been working  so hard you know I need a beach or something and I said 'no, you really  promised the kids we were going to do this. lets do that.' It was more  relaxing than a beach vacation.

PF:       What was the most amazing animals you saw?
JT:        Oh we saw all the animals. What intrigues me the most are the cats. They  are the most dangerous too. Because other animals, you have time to get out  of their way. The cat they are about sometimes as far as you are. You are  really playing Russian Roulette because if you catch their eye, or if you  move in anyway they go peripheral - they'll jump onto the truck and they'll  get ya, and it's happened. Matter of fact, I heard one famous story about  John Cusack? I don't want to get the actors name wrong. But he decided to  taunt one of them. He was chased outside of a truck and it was a near life  and death situation.

PF:       Now are you taking a break now or are you working at the moment
J.T:       Well I did four of these movies in a row so I'm promoting them and then I'm going to take a break at least till January, if that's okay.

P.F:      We'll see you again in January for the junket for --
J.T:       No you will probably see me before with "Bobby Long."

P.F:      It's a small film that Bobby Long
JT:        It's an independent film that we got rave reactions and a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. It's an awesome movie. I can't wait fo you to see it.

PF: Has it got a distributor yet?
J.T:       Yeah it's Lion's Gate

Ladder 49 opens Today.

Ladder 49 opens Friday.