Hollywood Reacts To The Death Of Olivia Newton-John
On August 8, 2022, the entertainment world was shaken to its core by the news that Dame Olivia Newton-John had died at the age of 73. Her husband, John Easterling, confirmed her death in a statement on Facebook, revealing that she passed away at her ranch in Southern California in the presence of her family and friends. The post also welcomes fans to honor her memory by donating to the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, which continues to research plant-based treatments for cancer.
Aside from being a philanthropist and activist, Newton-John is best known for her work as an actress, which really took off in the 1970s and '80s. Arguably her most influential role (except for maybe this one) came in 1978's "Grease," where she starred as Sandy Olsson opposite John Travolta as Danny Zuko. She also rose to prominence as a singer and songwriter, releasing such hits as "Physical," "Have You Never Been Mellow," and more throughout her career. Suffice to say, she was a pop culture icon in more ways than one.
As fans across the globe mourn Olivia Newton-John's death, those in Hollywood who knew her personally or were impacted by her in some form are doing the same. Here's what a handful of notable names have to say about their irreplaceable colleague.
Olivia Newton-John will be missed by many in the entertainment industry
Shortly after word of Olivia Newton-John's death came to light, her "Grease" co-star John Travolta took to Instagram to write up a heartfelt tribute to her. Alongside a photo of her, he wrote, "My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much." He goes on to further express how much she meant to him and closed his comment with, "Your Danny, your John!"
Meanwhile, on Twitter, several other famous names bid farewell to Newton-John with posts of their own. "Rest in peace, Olivia Newton-John. Deepest condolences to her family and loved ones," said Antonio Banderas, accompanied by a handful of photos of her as Sandy in "Grease." "The Mandalorian" star Carl Weathers made a tweet for Newton-John and Roger E. Mosely, who died on August 7, writing, "You each made your mark and left us with memories. We have forever been touched by your talent and impact as entertainers! Thank you."
Jason Alexander of "Seinfeld" fame admitted that while he never met Olivia Newton-John himself, he adored her as a kid and never heard a cross word about her as he got older. He offered her family his deepest sympathies. Viola Davis didn't hide her lifelong love for Newton-John either, tweeting, "Oh man!!! You were my childhood!! Your talent, poise, beauty!! Rest in glorious peace. God bless your family....and thank you for creating eternal memories."
Between these tributes and the countless others from both her fans and those in Hollywood, it's plain to see that Olivia Newton-John left quite a positive mark on the world. She will be dearly missed by all.