“My dear Olivia, you made our lives immeasurably brighter. Your impact was extraordinary. I love you deeply. We’ll meet again on another path and be together once more. Yours, from the moment I first saw you, and forever.” The 68-year-old actor shared on his Instagram profile.
Actress and singer Olivia Newton-John, famed for her role in the Grease television series, has died.
Travolta closed his message with a sign-off, “your Danny, your John,” a nod to the character Sandy and Danny in the film Grease.
The actor played a crucial role in convincing the Paramount studio to cast Newton-John, who at the time was primarily known as a country and pop singer, in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
“She possessed a remarkable voice, and I believed there was no one better suited to bring Sandy to life,” Travolta told Variety in a retrospective on the filming anniversary.
Olivia Newton-John’s early career and links to Eurovision before Grease: a brush with ABBA’s era and the song ‘Waterloo’
Previously, production considered several other actresses for the role, including Carrie Fisher, Susan Dey, Deborah Raffin, and Marie Osmond. Sandy Olsson is portrayed as a hopeful and responsible high school student who falls for the rebellious Danny Zuko, embodied by John Travolta. The casting process reflected a search for the right chemistry to anchor the film’s iconic romance.
After a dinner meeting, the film’s producer, Alan Carr, persuaded Newton-John to join the project because she was already enjoying solo success, and taking on a major film role carried the risk of affecting her music career. The casting decision required a quick path to alignment with the project’s vision, and the production team considered how best to integrate her distinctive Australian accent into Sandy’s character. To bridge age and experience gaps between the leads, lighting choices and production techniques were used during the shoot.
The movie, released in 1978 with a production budget of around six million dollars, quickly became a global phenomenon, grossing well over three hundred million and earning a lasting place as a top-grossing musical of the era. Its setting in the 1950s and its theme of teenage romance resonated with audiences, helping spark a wave of teen-focused television series and films in subsequent years.
The enduring popularity of Grease contributed to its status as a Hollywood classic, influencing generations of performers and inspiring ongoing discussions about its cultural impact. The collaboration between Newton-John and Travolta, and the film’s memorable songs, continue to be cited as milestones in musical cinema. (Citation: Variety, film histories)