John Travolta is bringing a wave of festive nostalgia this holiday season by revisiting one of his most iconic roles — Danny Zuko from Grease — but with a fun twist. The 71-year-old actor stars as a Santa Claus-inspired version of Zuko in a brand-new Capital One commercial that blends holiday cheer with classic Hollywood flair.
In the ad, Travolta appears inside a workshop-style garage transformed into Santa’s tech hub. Dressed in a full Santa suit, he examines a sleek, high-tech sleigh and slips effortlessly into character. With a playful grin, he jokes, “Ho, ho, ho, ho. Why, this sleigh could be frost-o-matic, tinsel-matic, 1.5% cash back-o-matic.”
Fans get an extra treat when he drops a nostalgic nod to his legendary role, declaring: “It’s Greased Lightnin’,” while making a purchase using his Capital One card.
The commercial then bursts into a lively recreation of the iconic Greased Lightnin’ dance sequence. Travolta performs energetic moves alongside Santa’s elves and even a reindeer donning sunglasses, adding a humorous festive twist. He wraps up the ad with the classic tagline, “Ho, ho, ho — what’s in your wallet?” before Santa’s high-tech sleigh lifts off into the sky.
This isn’t Travolta’s first time revisiting fan-favorite roles with Capital One. Last year, he teamed up with Samuel L. Jackson for a commercial filled with Pulp Fiction references. In the 2024 holiday campaign, he reprised his Santa persona while online shopping for whimsical gifts — including hot chocolate, marshmallows, and “3,000 bolo ties,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to his character Vincent Vega.
The ad concluded with a holiday-themed recreation of the Pulp Fiction dance sequence set to Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph.”
Travolta has long embraced his connection to Grease, even surprising fans during a Hollywood Bowl sing-along of the iconic film. With this latest holiday commercial, he blends the magic of Santa, the charm of Greased Lightnin’, and his timeless appeal into one festive fan-pleasing performance.