Dame Olivia Newton-John, who soared to fame for portraying Sandy Dee in the movie-musical “Grease” opposite John Travolta, has passed away on Monday, August 8, at the age of 73.
According to a statement from her family, Olivia “passed away peacefully at her ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends” after a 30-year battle with breast cancer.
Travolta, who starred as Newton-John’s onscreen love interest Danny Zuko, took to Instagram to express his sadness over the loss of his friend.
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“My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. 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 first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!” he wrote.
Newton-John had a stellar career as a singer-songwriter, actress, and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner with five number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as two number-one albums on the Billboard 200. She is considered one of the best-selling music artists from the second half of the 20th century to the present.
With “Grease” becoming the biggest box-office hit of 1978, her role as Sandy earned her multiple distinctions such as the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Film Actress, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, and an Oscar nomination for “Hopelessly Devoted to You” which she performed at the 1979 Academy Awards. She and Travolta reunited for the “Grease” sing-along in 2019 donning their costumes from the movie and delighting fans around the globe.
As an activist, she advocated for environmental and animal rights causes, and breast cancer research. She even founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia.
(ALSO READ: LOOK: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John Reunite As Danny and Sandy For The First Time In 40 Years)
May she rest in peace.
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