John Travolta responds to 'creepy' Oscars accusations following Idina Menzel chin grab

The Pulp Fiction actor's awards antics were one of this year's talking points

John Travolta grabbed Idina Menzel's chin at the 2015 Oscars (Getty Images/Robin Beck/AFP)

John Travolta’s awkward on-stage chin grab wasn’t quite the random act of strangeness it first appeared.

The Pulp Fiction actor caused social media outcry after he leaned in to stroke Frozen star Idina Menzel's face as he co-presented the award for Best Original Song.

Body language expert Judi James says that Travolta's social faux-pas with Menzel could have been the result of a planned joke gone wrong.

Johansson didn't look delighted by Travolta's handsy display (DDP USA/Rex Features)

And it turns out, she was right, according to Travolta’s spokesperson.

“It was rehearsed in total,” a representative told People. “John Travolta loved working with Idina Menzel. John had a great time at the Oscars because his wife, Kelly Preston, and his daughter, Ella, were in attendance with him.”

Menzel also indicated that the routine had indeed been part of a skit that just ended up looking painfully uncomfortable.

Here are the other John Travolta images from the Oscars you weren’t shown.