Never a fake, never a phony, and we love that we got to lay eyes on you.
Olivia Newton-John, widely known for her role as Sandy in the blockbuster movie Grease, passed away at 73 years old on Monday, August 9, after roughly thirty years of fighting cancer.
Her husband, John Easterling, took to the star’s Instagram account that day to announce her passing.
“Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” wrote her husband, John Easterling, “Olivia has been a symbol of triumph and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.”
In September of 2018, Newton-John announced she was then treating a cancer detected at the bottom of her spine. She had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer twice – once in the early 90s and again in 2017.
Newton-John was born in England in 1948, but moved with her family to Melbourne, Australia when she was 5 years old. As a teen, she won a talent contest on the TV show, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” which launched her into the public eye as she began weekly pop music performances.
While rising to fame in England in 1966, she became popular in the United States in 1973 with her single “Let Me Be There,” following a series of other number-one hits.
Then came 1978.
This was the year of Grease, catapulting NewtonJohn into fame alongside Welcome Back Kotter and Saturday Night Fever’s John Travolta. She had very little acting experience at the time, but managed to charm generations of viewers, as Grease not only became the top-grossing film of the year, but a timeless cultural phenomenon.
Newton-John and Travolta’s onscreen chemistry was felt by all audiences as they sang along to duets such as “You’re the One That I Want,” and “Summer Nights,” or her solo where her breathy voice swooned its listeners By Deana D. Boles into singing along to, “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
Many celebrities took to social media to express their feelings on the actress’ passing. Mariah Carey posted a photo of the two performing in Melbourne. Newton-John hopped on stage to sing a duet with the superstar, and Carey called it a “moment I will never forget.”
“I first fell in love with Olivia’s voice when I was a little girl and heard ‘I Honestly Love You,” Carey wrote on Instagram, “Songs like ‘Magic,’ ‘Suddenly,’ and ‘Have You Never Been Mellow’ showcased her beautiful airy tone and signature sound. And THEN there was GREASE. I was obsessed. I dressed up as Bad Sandy for Halloween in 5th grade and I thought I was everything. She added, “I was also blessed to be in her presence on many other occasions and she was one of the kindest, most generous and lovely people I’ve ever met. She will be missed. She will be remembered. She will be loved. Olivia, I honestly love you.”
Newton-John’s grace and wholesomeness effected Long Islanders as well.
“I was so sad to hear Olivia Newton-John had lost her battle with cancer. It wasn’t until I heard she passed away that I could truly appreciate how she had made an impact on my life. From singing her songs at karaoke with my family, to knowing almost every word to the movie Grease, and dressing up as Sandy for Halloween every few years, it was clear how she brought so much joy to my childhood. Olivia was a legendary woman and will not be forgotten!” says Natalka Haubold, of East Patchogue.
The actress, musician and activist is also survived by daughter, actress-singer Chloe Lattanzi.
“I worship this woman. My mother. My best friend,” Lattanzi posted on Instagram to accompany a montage of photos of her with her late mother over the years.
