See John Travolta’s Heartfelt Tribute To Olivia Newton-John
John Travolta offered a touching tribute to Olivia Newton-John after the famed actress's passing this week.
Following a decades-long battle with cancer, Olivia Newton-John passed away on August 8th at the age of 73. As family, friends, and fans mourn the loss of the Australian songbird, her Grease co-star John Travolta (who played Danny Zuko in the film) shared a heartfelt tribute to his dear friend. “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” he wrote alongside a picture of Olivia, who played Sandy Olsson in the popular musical. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again.”
Check out John Travolta’s heartfelt tribute to Olivia Newton-John below:
“Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever!” John Travolta signed off the touching tribute, “Your Danny, your John!” Since starring in the 1978 movie, the pair frequently reunited to celebrate the legacy of Grease, appearing together for the first time in several years for the film’s 40th anniversary in 2018. At the time, the actor said Olivia Newton-John was his favorite part of the project. “Meeting Olivia, beyond a shadow of a doubt,” he told E! News. She happily echoed the sentiment saying, “I have to say the same because John talked me into doing it and that was a magical day.”
Olivia Newton-John died peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California surrounded by family and friends. Her husband, John Easterling, revealed the sad news on social media, adding that Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. She was first diagnosed in 1992 and privately battled the illness again in 2013. But the cancer returned in 2017, and this time it had metastasized to her sacrum. At the time John Travolta told People that his co-star is a survivor, that she’s smart and has a lot of life in her.
He also described her as someone who always looks at her illness with a “glass half full” perspective. And that’s her beautiful, natural approach toward life, which everyone should strive to emulate. Although John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are probably best known for Grease, the pair also worked together on other projects. In 1983, they starred in the John Herzfeld-directed romantic fantasy Two of a Kind. Despite being a critical failure, the film’s soundtrack was a commercial success. It even yielded three hit singles for the actress and received a Platinum certification.
Four years later, they appeared in Michael Jackson’s Liberian Girl music video alongside several of Hollywood’s most popular stars. With a collaborative career spanning decades, it’s not surprising that the pair remained close friends. Olivia Newton-John also shared her condolences when John Travolta lost his wife, Kelly Preston, to breast cancer in 2020. “Kelly was a radiant, warm and gentle spirit. A loving, devoted wife, mother, and sweet friend,” she wrote in a statement. “My heart breaks for John, Ella, and Ben. No words can express my sorrow for her family. Her light shines on in her beautiful children.”
In addition to John Travolta, stars like Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick paid homage to Olivia Newton-John following news of the legend’s death. The actress is survived by her daughter from her first marriage, Chloe Lattanzi, and her husband John Easterling who she married in 2008.
