UPDATE: John Travolta Honors Olivia Newton-John After Her Death At 73

Olivia Newton-John, who was best known for starring in the 1978 classic Grease, tragically passed away on Monday at the age of 73. Now, her former Grease co-star John Travolta has broken his silence about her passing. 

“My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta, 68, wrote in an online post. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta)

Travolta and Newton-John starred together as Danny and Sandy in Grease back in 1978, and they remained close friends in the decades since then. When Travolta lost his beloved wife Kelly Preston of Jerry Maguire fame to breast cancer in 2020 at the age of 58, Newton-John was one of the first celebrities to pay tribute to her. 

“@therealkellypreston was a radiant, warm and gentle spirit – a loving, devoted wife, mother and sweet friend,” Newton-John wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “My heart breaks for John, Ella and Ben. No words can express my sorrow for her family. Kelly’s light shines on in her beautiful children. Xox.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Olivia Newton-John (@therealonj)

Celebrity Tributes To Newton-John

Barry Pearl, who played T-Bird Doody, became emotional as he paid tribute to Newton-John in an interview after her death. 

“Everything sounds so trite when you discuss who she is and what she was, but it is so because it’s so profoundly true … a heart that was so giving and loving,” Pearl said, according to CNN. 

Joel Thurm, the casting director for Grease, also teared up as he honored Newton-John by saying that she was “kind, absolutely wonderful, and courteous to everybody.”

Other tributes have poured in for Newton-John as well. Australian singer and actress Delta Goodrem, who played Newton-John in a 2018 TV biopic, posted a particularly heartfelt tribute to social media. 

“The whole world will feel this heartbreak today because the entire world felt Olivia’s unmatched light. A force for good. A force of nature. Strong and kind. My mentor, my friend, my inspiration, someone who always guided me… always there. Family to me…. I love you forever,” Goodrem wrote alongside a photo of herself with Newton-John.

Here are some other celebrity tributes for Newton-John:

Newton-John Dies At 73

John Easterling, Newton-John’s husband of fourteen years, told TMZ that she died on Monday morning at her ranch in Southern California with her family and friends by her side.

“Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends,” Easterling said in a statement, according to People Magazine. “We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.” 

“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” he added. “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation.”

While a specific cause of death had not been revealed, Newton-John had battled cancer for thirty years. 

“After a 30-year cancer journey, she lost her battle to metastatic breast cancer,” said a source close to Newton-John.

Related: Olivia Newton-John Gives Fans Devastating Cancer Update

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Newton-John’s Life And Career

Born in the United Kingdom in 1948, Newton-John moved to Australia at the age of 5. She got her start as a singer and her big break came when she played Sandy alongside John Travolta in the 1978 hit Grease. The role earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Check out one of her more memorable moments from Grease in the video below.

Newton-John was quick to defend Grease when it found itself being in danger of “cancellation” during the #MeToo movement. 

“It’s a movie,” Newton-John said as she defended the film at the time, according to Daily Mail. “It’s a story from the 50s where things were different. Everyone forgets that, at the end, he changes for her, too. There’s nothing deep in there about the #MeToo movement. It’s just a girl who loves a guy, and she thinks if she does that, he’ll like her. “

“And he thinks if he does that, she’ll like him,” she added. “I think that’s pretty real. People do that for each other. It was a fun love story.”

Full Story: Olivia Newton-John Fires Back At Woke Haters Trying To Cancel ‘Grease’

Two years after making Grease, Newton-John starred in Xanadu, before later appearing with Travolta again in 1983’s Two of a Kind. She married actor Matt Lattanzi in 1984, and she had her only child Chloe Lattanzi two years later before they divorced in 1995. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Chloe Lattanzi (@chloelattanziofficial)

Newton-John’s Cancer Battle

Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1992, and she was one of the first celebrities to bravely go public with such a diagnosis. In the thirty years since then, Newton-John has been an outspoken advocate for cancer awareness and research.

Newton-John beat cancer successfully twice, but it returned for a third time in 2017. 

“It’s been a part of my life for so long,” she said of her cancer in 2020. “I felt something was wrong. It’s concerning when it comes back, but I thought ‘I’ll get through it again.'”

Newton-John is survived by her husband, daughter, and two siblings. She’s also survived by millions of fans who will miss her dearly.