Travolta Meets Gotti Matriarch for Sit Down

From left to right: Victoria Gotti (daughter), John Travolta,

John "Junior" Gotti and Lindsay Lohan, who may or may not

appear in the Fiore Films production.

John Travolta visited New York this past week to speak with the widow of the gangster John Gotti, whom he is portraying in the upcoming biopic produced by Fiore Films.

Late Mafia boss John Gotti died in 2002 while serving a life sentence. In the upcoming film, titled Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father, will explore the relationship between the notorious crime boss and his son John "Junior" Gotti (who has a "story by" credit, although he didn't pen the screenplay and reportedly sold the story rights for half a million dollars).

Travolta has been thoroughly researching the role, according to several published reports, and on Thursday even landed on the doorstep of  Gotti's widow, Victoria.

He was photographed arriving at the family home in Queens, New York, and after spending two hours inside, he told reporters he was doing "research for the movie", according to the New York Post.

Travolta's wife Kelly Preston will portray Victoria in the movie, while their daughter Ella Bleu with play the Gottis' daughter Angel. The movie also stars Al Pacino and Ben Foster and is due for release next year. Joe Pesci was to have played a starring role, but pulled out when his part was downgraded to a lesser character; the thespian is now suing the producer.