Guess who gets to play tough guy in 'The Life of John Gotti'

Latest role: Travolta has been attached to the Gotti project for six years.

 Gotti at his 1990 trial 

On and off screen: Gotti's wife Victoria, is played by Travolta's real life spouse of 26 years, Kelly Preston.Travolta and Preston's 16-year-old daughter Ella Bleu will also appear as Gotti's first daughter Angel.

Gotti's wife Victoria always dressed in black

Gotti's oldest son John Gotti Jr, who wrote the memoir Shadow of My Father, is one of the film's producers

Gotti was Italian-American gangster who was born into poverty in The Bronx but turned to a life of crime from an early age, quickly rising to become boss of the Gambino crime family. Betrayed by a trusted crime family member, he died behind bars in 2002, aged 61, one year after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Staying in character: Indeed the mob boss he is playing was once known as Dapper Don in the media for his love of fine suits, hand-painted ties and immaculately combed hair

Snitches get stitches: He chatted with actor William DeMeo, who plays Sammy the Bull Gravano, his right hand man turned FBI informant, the man who, ultimately, brought Gotti down.

Lookout: Spotted behind the two men (L) was Gotti's enforcer Bartholomew 'Bobby' Boriello, played by Leo Rossi keeping a watchful eye over his boss

Little did Gotti know that his greatest threat was always right beside him. Salvatore Gravano went on to become the highest ranking member of the Five Families mafia organization then became an FBI informant, testifying against Gotti which led to his life imprisonment.

Now 71, Gravano is set to be released from prison on March 8, 2019, having served almost 20 years for drug trafficking.  

At the helm...Kevin Conolly

Between takes, John chatted to Entourage star Kevin Connolly, who is directing the crime biopic. Travolta has been attached to the Gotti biopic for six years now, staying with the project even as numerous Hollywood heavyweights dropped out of the film.

Nick Cassavetes, Joe Johnston and Barry Levinson were all attached to direct at one point, while a trio of Oscar-winning actors - Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Anthony Hopkins - left the film after being cast due to multiple false starts that kept pushing back the start date for principal photography.

Lindsay Lohan was also set to star in the role of Victoria when the project was first announced back in 2011.

Gotti's oldest son John Gotti Jr, who wrote the 2015 memoir Shadow of My Father, is one of the film's producers.

Maybe John will reprise his 'Pulp Fiction' role. You may recall his character was a tough, mob guy, more of a soldier than a boss. But he played the role exceptionally well. Whatever his lifestyle, he is a fine actor. This could be his best performance, the high point in a long, colorful career. It is being filmed largely in New York to give it an authentic flavor.