Embed from Getty Images
Olivia Newton-John, the star of the movie musical Grease and four-time Grammy Award winner, has passed away. A 73-year-old woman, to be precise.
“This morning, Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away surrounded by family and friends at her Ranch in Southern California. The family requests privacy at this time “her husband John Easterling revealed it on Newton-social John’s media accounts on Monday.
“For over 30 years, Olivia has been a source of inspiration as she has documented her fight against breast cancer. The Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund supports on-going studies of the links between plant medicine and cancer, carrying on her legacy of pioneering work in the field and inspiring others to do the same. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be donated to the @onjfoundation in her honor.”
Newton-John revealed in May 2017 that her breast cancer has spread to her sacrum. After discussing her treatment options with her medical team at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia, Newton-John decided to undergo photon radiation therapy in addition to natural wellness therapies.
John Easterling, her 70-year-old husband, said “We both have the same unshakable belief that she’s going to have a wonderful success story,” “We’re not trying to be positive. We have an absolute knowingness that we can turn this around.”
Newton-John acknowledged that she lived a full life despite her cancer diagnosis, and she went on to do so for another five years after it was made public.
The singer attended a screening of Grease to celebrate its 40th anniversary in Beverly Hills in August 2018, looking radiant but noticeably smaller than she had in the past. Newton-John, who played the good girl Sandy in Grease, danced with John Travolta for the cameras.
In January of 2020, Newton-John vowed to the media that she would not let cancer stop her: “My perspective is that I am making good progress toward overcoming this. To be perfectly honest, I don’t give it much thought. I’m getting stronger and better all the time because to my practice of denial. My health is excellent at the moment.”
In February of last year, while she was getting ready for her daughter Chloe Lattanzi’s wedding, she was in fine shape. “I’m so lucky to still be doing all these things.” “I don’t think I imagined living this long! I feel very blessed.”
Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England in 1948. She and her two siblings, grandchildren of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Max Born, emigrated to Australia when she was five years old. She was able to win a vacation to London by competing in a televised talent show. Before she could redeem her reward and return to the United Kingdom, she appeared on a number of Australian television shows.
London was where Newton-tour John’s as part of Pat & Olivia with Pat Farrar got underway. However, Newton-solo John’s career began in earnest by 1971. Let Me Be There, released in 1973, solidified her standing as a major star in the United Kingdom and the United States, following the release of the preceding two albums, If Not For You and Olivia. Newton-first John’s Grammy was for the album’s title tune, which was deemed to be the best female country vocal performance.
The following year, Newton-John won two more Grammys for her iconic single “I Honesty Love You,” this time for record of the year and best post vocal performance, female. Newton-John had a total of 12 Grammy nominations over the course of her career, and she won the award for video of the year again for “Physical” in 1982.
Aside from the four People’s Choice Awards, Newton-John won many Country Music Association and American Music Awards.
Starring opposite John Travolta as naive high school student Sandy in the 1978 film Grease, Newton-career John’s took off. Newton-John received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in this role.
Later, in 1983’s Two of a Kind, she reteamed with Travolta for another movie musical. Despite appearing in a couple more movies and TV shows, Newton-John eventually devoted her attention to her musical career.
Newton-John, who was awarded the OBE in 1979, married actor Matt Lattanzi in 1984 and had her only child, Chloe, with him the following year. They officially ended their marriage in 1995.
Among the first celebrities to speak out about their struggles with illness, Newton-John went public with her first breast cancer diagnosis in 1992. As a result of her fight, which included a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy, and breast reconstruction, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre was established in Melbourne. Newton-John has spent the ensuing decades campaigning for increased funding for cancer research and education.
Also, Newton-John has been a UN Goodwill Ambassador since 1991 and has been a spokeswoman for the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition. She and her husband, Easterling, who she married in 2008, were also involved with the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research.
Newton-John was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2011, three years before her death, having been made an officer in 2006.
Aside from her daughter and husband, Newton-John is survived by her sister Sarah Newton-John, brother Toby Newton-John, nieces and nephews Tottie, Fiona, and Brett Goldsmith, Emerson, Charlie, Zac, Jeremy, Randall, and Pierz Newton-John, Jude Newton-Stock, Layla Lee, Kira and Tasha Edelstein, and Brin and Valerie Hall.
What’s Your Take?
Like, Share, Comment, Tweet it Out!
“It’s Your World, You Decide!”