John Travolta turned down Flight because it was “silly”

John Travolta’s credentials as a pilot are not in dispute. His career choices are raising some eyebrows, however.

Speaking at a British Film Institute event last week, Travolta revealed that he turned down the leading role in the hit 2012 flick Flight because “the plane stuff was silly.”

Contact Music recorded the plane aficionado’s comments for posterity:

“The funny thing was it was written for me. But it was not written well enough yet – the plane stuff, not the character. I loved that he was an alcoholic and I loved his journey a lot… But the plane stuff was silly, from my perspective. Flying upside down – it’s a bit much. I just wanted those bits to get redone. I asked the writer, ‘Did you not ask a professional or someone who knew something?’ And he said, ‘I didn’t want any interference – I just wanted the screenplay done. To hell with that stuff!'”

Whether or not screenwriter John Gatins took any of Travolta’s advice is unknown, but the ‘flying upside down’ sequence certainly made it into the final cut.

Gatins was nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Denzel Washington, who took on the role of troubled pilot Whip Whitaker, scored an Academy Award nod for Best Actor.

Travolta will next be seen in Killing Season, in which his facial hair is bananas.