John Travolta Thrilled to Complete Cross-Dressing Role  10/31/06

A thrilled and exhausted John Travolta finally finished filming his role as Edna Turnblad in the big screen version of Hairspray in the early hours of Saturday (28OCT06) morning.

The Grease star spent the past week filming the grand finale, You Can't Stop the Beat with Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken and newcomer Nikki Blonsky.

Travolta had to endure four hours of prep time before putting in eight hours of performing in padding and silicone prosthetics to play the generously proportioned Turnblad.

He says, "When you have all that dancing to do and a level to live up to, you just go for it and forget the suit.

"But when that number is over, you're gasping. It may be called You Can't Stop the Beat, but I call it You Can't Find Your Breath."

Travolta is thrilled to be able to get back to his normal routine adding, "You feel like you are coming out of a prison. It's such a relief to get air again to the skin and breathe again. The discomfort level was astonishing.

"The effect that I caused is fun and all, but it's a lot of work, man!"