Staying Alive icon Finola Hughes makes rare public outing… 42 years after starring with John Travolta

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Staying Alive icon Finola Hughes bundled up for a laid-back outing in Los Angeles this past week.

The 66-year-old soap opera star wore an olive green coat, a grey sweater, white ankle boots, and a tan suede hat.

On Wednesday, Hughes stepped out alone looking stylish for fall, with a black textured messenger bag slung across her body while running errands.

The British actress is well-known for appearing with John Travolta in the 1983 movie Staying Alive, which followed up the classic film Saturday Night Fever.

She was the stunning dancer who won over Travolta, and this part helped launch her successful acting career.

She wasn’t just a movie star; she also became a prominent figure in daytime television, starring in both All My Children and General Hospital for many years.

Hughes’ small screen success also consisted of leading roles in the hit series Charmed and Blossom.  

The fashion expert also showed off her great sense of style while hosting the reality show, How Do I Look?

I couldn’t believe it this year – it was the 40th anniversary of when I first started watching Genie Francis as Laura on General Hospital! It’s amazing to think about how long she’s been a part of the show and my life as a fan.

She told Soap Opera Digest it’s unbelievable that it’s been forty years since viewers first saw her on screen. ‘Wow,’ she said, expressing her surprise at the milestone.

The anniversary also marked four decades living in the United States for Hughes. 

She’s marking 40 years with the show in the US, which is a big part of what they’re celebrating. While she’s taken breaks and returned, the character has always been important to her, and she’s always seen a bit of herself in the role.

‘I love playing Anna, I really do.’

Though she’s best known as an actress, Hughes actually started out as a dancer when she was young.

She started acting at age 10, landing small TV roles and other jobs while in school, but she didn’t consider it a serious career path at the time, as she explained to Soap Opera Digest.

I was truly passionate about dance. When it was time for college, they suggested I pursue acting, but I knew I needed to focus on dance while I was young – I think I was 16 or 17 at the time. So that’s what I did. Though, I’ve always enjoyed acting, I just hadn’t prioritized it; dance was my main focus.

Hughes’ background in dance helped her when she auditioned for the part of Laura in the Sylvester Stallone film, Staying Alive.

Auditions consisted of her learning the routine before dancing with Travolta himself. 

She got the part the same day she tried out for the role. 

I remember being with Sly Stallone when I got the news! They just told me right then and there – I had the part! It was such an exciting moment, finding out on the spot like that.

Hughes had high words for both her co-star and director.

Hughes described Travolta as a genuinely kind person. It was Hughes’ first time in Los Angeles when they filmed ‘Staying Alive,’ and Travolta really helped him adjust. He took Hughes under his wing, showed him the ropes, and made sure he was comfortable and well-cared for. Hughes simply thought he was a wonderful person.

Of Stallone, she gushed: ‘He was fantastic, very spontaneous.’

I always admired how he lived in the moment, and honestly, it was exactly what I needed. I was so lost back then, I didn’t even know how to be spontaneous, or much of anything else, really. I’m not afraid to admit it – I had no clue what I was doing! He was really good at gently guiding me, giving me little hints along the way. It felt like they were always trying to help me relax and just go with it, and they totally got that I was brand new to everything.

But Hughes didn’t have the same praise when it came to her own acting ability. 

She admitted her performance wasn’t good, joking that she was even nominated for a Razzie Award – an award for the worst movies – which she realized is almost an honor in itself.

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2025-11-22 04:09