We’ve been hopelessly devoted to Olivia Newton-John ever since she played Sandy in Grease in 1978.
She had such a kind heart, which she used to raise funds and awareness for the environment and her cancer treatment center.
We’re also obsessed with the adorable friendship that she had with John Travolta . Here are 10+ interesting facts about the star that you didn’t know.
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1. She was Australian:
While she was born in England , her parents relocated her and her two siblings to Melbourne in 1954.
She returned to Britain as a teenager when she won a trip there thanks to a talent contest.
2. She competed in Eurovision:
While she had released a solo album in 1971, nothing shot her to stardom like competing in the singing competition.
She sang “Long Live Love” on behalf of the UK and ended up coming in fourth.
3. Her breakout role was in *Grease*:
This should not be surprising, considering the movie is still talked-about 40 years later.
In addition to turning her into a mega-star, she earned a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination.
4. She almost didn’t take the role of Sandy in *Grease*:
In her autobiography, Don’t Stop Believin’ , she wrote that she was hesitant because of her age.
“I could not play a high school student at 28,” she thought after the film’s producer met her at a dinner party and thought she’d be perfect for the role.
In the end, it was John Travolta who persuaded her to say yes.
“I went outside to be greeted by those piercing blue eyes and the warmest smile on the planet,” she wrote.
“In person, John Travolta radiates pure joy and love. That day, he greeted me with a big hug like we were already lifelong friends. How could you say no to John Travolta?”
5. She married her current husband at 59:
She married entrepreneur, John Easterling, in 2008, after knowing each other for almost 30 years.
“I dated a little bit, but I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with him and then bam!” Newton-John told People about her hubbie.
6. She was super close to John Travolta:
They had been friends since 1978.
“When you share that kind of meteoric success [such as Grease] – and nothing has been able to exceed it – you share a bond,” John told People Magazine .
In 2019, the pair even revisited their old characters.
They put on their signature Danny and Sandy Grease outfits for a sing-along of the movie and a Q&A session at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida.
It was electrifying .
7. She had to be literally sewn into those infamous black pants in *Grease*:
The reason why? The zipper broke.
“They had to stitch me into them when I had to shoot,” she told ET .
“The zipper’s still broken, but they’re fabulous. They’re just gorgeous.
8. She was given her own Pink Lady jacket at the end of filming *Grease*:
It was an honor for the star, whose character always wanted to be accepted by them.
“So, the crew, at the end of filming, presented me with my own Pink Lady jacket, so I’d feel part of it.”
9. The final scene of *Grease* was difficult for the star to film:
You can blame sweltering temps for that.
“It was pretty comfortable except it was incredibly hot,” she told ET . “They were having a heat wave.” Plus, she was wearing all black.
“So I obviously had to take this jacket off in between takes because it was very, very hot.”
She added that she sweated in the iconic black jacket, which was up for auction in 2019.
The event was put on to raise money for her cancer treatment center.
10. She was initially “horrified” by the *Hopelessly Devoted To You* mini-series:
The miniseries showcased Olivia’s journey into stardom.
“I realised it was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not,” she told Australian Women’s Weekly .
Delta Goodrem is the actress who went on to play Olivia in the mini-series.
Olivia praised her! “I love Delta. I think she’s a really good actress and a great singer so that made it okay, because we’re friends.”
She continued:
“In the beginning, she called me and asked, ‘Shall I do it or not?’ First I said, ‘I’m not sure,’ and then I said, ‘Oh you do it’.”
11. She and John were almost romantic together:
Their chemistry was palpable off-screen just as much as it was on. But sadly, life always got in the way.
“It almost happened between us a few other times but it didn’t,” John once revealed . “Sometimes life just offers you the wrong timing.”
12. She lived on a farm:
Just take one look at her Instagram and you’ll see that she definitely had a green thumb.
As such, she had all sorts of animals running around, like dogs, baby chicks, cats, and horses.
13. She battled breast cancer three times:
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. Doctors found cancer in her shoulder in 2013 after a car accident.
While her breast cancer has returned, she remaining strong and positive up until her death in 2022.
“I just want everyone to know, I’m here, I’m doing great,” she told *Entertainment Tonight* at one point.
“It was a challenging year because I broke my sacrum and I had to learn to walk again and all these things. But I am strong and I am back and I’m feeling good and loving every minute.”
Her experiences turned her into an advocate for survivors.
In 2018, she even created the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Victoria, Australia.
When she was diagnosed with a tumor in her lower back, she underwent treatment in the facility.
Unfortunately, she did pass away due to cancer, but we will never forget her legacy.
