People also search for John Travolta Stockard Channing Chloe Rose Lattanzi Matt Lattanzi John Easterling Jeff Conaway Didi Conn
Contents
- 1 How old was Olivia Newton-John when she started Grease?
- 2 How old was Danny in Grease?
- 3 How old was Cha Cha in Grease?
- 4 Did John Travolta love Olivia Newton-John?
- 5 What were the cast ages for Grease?
- 6 How old was Tom in Grease?
- 7 What is the oldest Grease movie?
- 8 Where did they film Grease?
- 9 Did John Travolta attend Olivia Newton-John’s funeral?
How old was Olivia Newton-John when she started Grease?
Grease – In 1978, Newton-John’s career soared after she starred as Sandy in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease. She was offered the role after meeting producer Allan Carr at a dinner party at Helen Reddy ‘s home. Disillusioned by her Toomorrow experience and concerned that she was too old to play a high school senior (she was 28 during the filming of Grease ), Newton-John insisted on a screen test with the film’s co-lead, John Travolta,
- The film accounted for Newton-John’s Australian accent by changing her original American character, Sandy Dumbrowski, into Sandy Olsson, an Australian who holidays in the United States and then moves there with her family.
- Newton-John previewed some of the film’s soundtrack during her second American network television special, Olivia, featuring guests ABBA and Andy Gibb,
Grease became the biggest box-office hit of 1978. The soundtrack album spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No.1 and yielded three Top 5 singles for Newton-John: the platinum ” You’re the One That I Want ” (No.1 Pop, No.23 AC) with John Travolta, the gold ” Hopelessly Devoted to You ” (No.3 Pop, No.20 Country, No.7 AC) and the gold ” Summer Nights ” (No.5 Pop, No.21 AC) with John Travolta and the film’s cast.
- Summer Nights ” was from the original play written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, but the former two songs were written and composed by her long-time music producer, John Farrar, specifically for the film.
- Newton-John became the second woman (after Linda Ronstadt in 1977) to have two singles—”Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights”—in the Billboard top 5 simultaneously.
Newton-John’s performance earned her a People’s Choice Award for Favourite Film Actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical and performed the Oscar-nominated “Hopelessly Devoted to You” at the 1979 Academy Awards, The film’s popularity has endured.
- It was re-released for its 20th anniversary in 1998 and ranked as the second highest-grossing film behind Titanic in its opening weekend.
- It was re-shown in April 2018 in over 700 American theatres for two days only.
- The soundtrack is one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time.
- Following her death in August 2022, AMC announced that the picture would reappear in some of its cinemas over the weekend and that a portion of the proceeds would go to breast cancer research.
Of the film’s long-lasting likability, Newton-John contended: “I think the songs are timeless. They’re fun and have great energy. The ’50s-feel music has always been popular, and it’s nostalgic for my generation; and then the young kids are rediscovering it every 10 years or so, it seems.
How old were John in Grease?
Travolta was already famous by the time Grease was released, as his breakthrough hit Saturday Night Fever came out in 1977. John Travolta was 23 years old when he filmed the part of 18-year-old Danny Zuko.
How old was Danny in Grease?
Danny Zuko is 18 during his senior year at Rydell High School. – John Travolta as Danny Zuko in “Grease.” CBS via Getty Images The film ” Grease ” is based on a 1971 musical of the same name. It focuses on the relationship of American high school student Danny Zuko and Australian vacationer Sandy Olsson, who fall in love during the summer but fear they won’t see each other again.
When Sandy’s parents decide not to return to Australia, she enrolls at Rydell High where Danny is the leader of the T-Birds greaser gang. After realizing they now attend the same school, Danny proves his “coolness” by making fun of her in front of his friends, prompting Sandy to join the Pink Ladies.
After the two play a game of cat and mouse they finally confess their mutual love for one another.
Who is the oldest Grease actor?
‘Grease’ Casting Director Reacts to Criticism the Actors Were Too Old: ‘It’s a Fantasy’
- The casting director behind says the movie was “better for” its use of adult actors playing high schoolers.
- In a new oral history of the classic 1978 movie musical published by on Wednesday, casting director Joel Thurm pointed out that Grease “is not a documentary” as he referenced the common criticism that none of the film’s cast members were actual teenagers at the time of filming.
- “People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,” Thurm said in the oral history, which covers how the original Chicago-based stage musical was adapted for the big screen.
“It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,” Thurm added. “The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.”, who starred as Danny Zuko in Grease, famously stood out as younger than much of the rest of Grease ‘s principal cast during filming in summer 1977 at age 23.
- The late, who costarred as Sandy, was 29 at the time Grease was filmed;, who played Rizzo, was the principal cast’s oldest member at 33 during filming, according to a 2016 article about the production.
- In The Guardian ‘s oral history, casting director Thurm added that “there wasn’t a question in my mind” that Grease would prove popular after its release in 1978.
- Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“The critics didn’t matter, since they forgot that audiences go to movies to have fun,” he told the outlet. “The timing was right as we were having a 50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade.” Following Newton-John’s in August 2022, Thurm recalled to PEOPLE that casting the star as Sandy was “very simple,” though the actress about taking the role.
Olivia Newton-John and Didi Conn in Grease (1978). Paramount/Rso/Kobal/Shutterstock “John was already pre-set, and John asked me, ‘What do you think of Olivia?’ I said, ‘She’s wonderful.’ He said, ‘What do you think of her for Sandy? That’s a great idea.’ And once John said that, and that’s who John wanted, I stopped anything else,” he said at the time, later explaining that Newton-John “didn’t jump at the offer.” “She said, ‘Okay, I want to see a screen test with John and myself and then I’ll let you know if I want to do it,’ ” he recalled.
Thurm confessed this was a first for him, telling PEOPLE: “I think I’ve never heard of a case where an actor being offered a role said, ‘I want to see me before I say yes.’ But that’s how smart she was.” : ‘Grease’ Casting Director Reacts to Criticism the Actors Were Too Old: ‘It’s a Fantasy’
How old was Cha Cha in Grease?
Annette Charles (Cha Cha) – Charlene DiGregorio doesn’t have all that much screen time in the film version of Grease, but her appearance is both memorable and vital to the plot. The character is much better known as “Cha-Cha,” a reference to both her first name and how she’s the self-proclaimed “best dancer at St.
Bernadette’s,” although she gets to attend the big dance TV show taping at Rydell High. Kenickie brings her as his date to make Rizzo, his one and only and with whom he’s on the outs, jealous. She also backs up her claims of being a really good dancer, showing off and showing up most of the main characters, bringing Broadway-quality chops to the big gym floor dance numbers.
She was precociously talented and self-assured, for a high school, which likely came on account of how the actress who played Cha-Cha was 29 years old at the time of filming. Cha-Cha was the most famous role on the resume of actress Annette Charles, who before Grease had landed guest-star roles on ’70s TV shows like Emergency! and Barnaby Jones,
Did John Travolta love Olivia Newton-John?
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were a couple only when they appeared together on the big screen. But their platonic love for each other endured long after they played Sandy and Danny in the hit 1978 movie “Grease.” “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta, 68, wrote Monday on Instagram after learning of Newton-John’s death that day at age 73,
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!” Theirs was a friendship forged in the extreme heat of “Grease,” filmed when they were both in their 20s. In 2018, Travolta explained the strength of their decades-long relationship.
“When you share that kind of meteoric success — and nothing has been able to exceed it — you share a bond,” he told People as the movie marked its 40th anniversary. “I’ve been through her having a child, getting divorced, losing her sister. She’s been through my getting married, having children.
It’s wonderful and full of shared memories.” Newton-John gave her take on their relationship as well, telling People, “We did something life-changing, making that film. you got the feeling from the energy that something was happening. It was a huge response. I feel grateful to be a part of that and to have worked with him.
We’ve stayed friends ever since.” Travolta always took the time to reach out to her when things were tough, she said. Paul Hogan, left, with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta at the 2013 G’Day USA black-tie gala in L.A. (Getty Images for G’Day Australia) Over the decades, the actor-singers could be seen mingling at annual G’Day USA events promoting diplomatic and economic ties between the United States and Newton-John’s home country, Australia.
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta attend a “Grease” 40th-anniversary screening in Beverly Hills in August 2018. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images) Travolta and Newton-John were also excellent “Grease” ambassadors in the more than 40 years since the movie premiered, showing up when Paramount Pictures released a half-dozen of its top musicals on DVD and participating in events like the 2019 “Meet ‘n’ Grease” session that followed a movie sing-along in Palm Beach, Fla.
- We love singing together,” Travolta said during that Q&A.
- So anything is possible.” At a 40th-anniversary celebration of the movie, speaking on a panel discussion presented by the motion picture academy, he said Newton-John was his “favorite thing about doing ‘Grease.'” He remembered giving input when she was cast: “I said there is no other person in the universe other than Olivia Newton-John to play Sandy.
You must cast her.” Newton-John wasn’t so confident. She had been in a musical before and it hadn’t gone well, she revealed at the event, plus she was nervous about playing a teenager when she was in her late 20s. “Then they sent John to meet me,” she said.
- And who can say no, right? This gorgeous guy walks up my driveway, these bright blue eyes, and he was so sweet and melted me.” Alas, with the good must come the bad.
- There were two products of the Travolta/Newton-John friendship that might have been better left on the shelf.
- The first, “Two of a Kind,” was a box-office flop released in 1983.
While “Grease” made almost $400 million worldwide, the subsequent high-concept comedy pulled in a mere $24 million. A trailer for the movie even tried to sell the singing talents of the “Grease” stars, promising “lots of good music from the stars themselves, as well as Boz Skaggs and Chicago.” “Give me a break,” movie critic Roger Ebert wrote in his “Two of a Kind” review,
“Don’t send me any more movies where four angels in heaven ask God to give mankind a second chance, and God agrees — on the condition that John Travolta reforms. This movie should have been struck by a lightning bolt.” The other clunker was “I Think You Might Like It,” a cheesy country-pop tune about gathering back home for Christmas, found on Travolta and Newton-John’s 2012 album, “This Christmas.” It was the lone original song on an album full of holiday standards.
The best way to experience the forgettable ditty is to dive in headfirst. Just click play on the incredibly hokey music video above and remember — good friends stick together through thick and thin. Especially when those friends are Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.
What were the cast ages for Grease?
Grease fans have finally got closure on why the cast are so much older than highschoolers (Picture: Shutterstock) Finally, Grease fans have been given an answer as to why the principal cast are so much older than the high school students they are portraying.
Released in 1978 and starring John Travolta and Dame Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy, the classic film followed the teenagers’ love story as it unfolded against the backdrop of Rydell High School. While the movie has faced a spate of criticism for being ‘problematic’ in recent years, one element many viewers have struggled to get over is the age of the actors.
Most of the lead stars were in their 20s and 30s while filming Grease with Travolta aged 23 and Newton-John aged 29, despite playing teenagers. However, casting director Joel Thurm has at long last explained why older actors were used, stressing that it was totally intentional. The majority of the cast were in their 20s and 30s despite playing teenagers in the 1978 film (Picture: CBS) Speaking to The Guardian, he said: ‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy. ‘It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens.’ He added: ‘The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.’ Well, that’s that then. According to casting director Joel Thurm, casting older actors was planned (Picture: CBS) Sandy star Newton-John died ‘peacefully’ at her ranch in Southern California aged 73 last August, surrounded by family and friends. Travolta led tributes to the late icon on Instagram, sharing a throwback photo of his former co-star.
How old was Tom in Grease?
11. Lorenzo Lamas (Tom) – Lorenzo was just 18 when he played Sandy’s love interest Tom (one of the few actually playing his age!). Since then, he is best known for his role soaps Falcon Crest and The Bold and the Beautiful, He was also a judge on US show Are You Hot? and even had his own reality series Leave It To Lamas about his family.
What is the oldest Grease movie?
Grease | |
---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Randal Kleiser |
Screenplay by | Bronté Woodard |
Adaptation by | Allan Carr |
Based on | Grease by
|
Produced by |
|
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Bill Butler |
Edited by | John F. Burnett |
Music by | Michael Gibson |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
June 16, 1978 |
Running time | 110 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $6 million |
Box office | $366.2 million |
Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Bronté Woodard and an adaptation by Allan Carr, based on the stage musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey,
- The film depicts the lives of greaser Danny Zuko ( John Travolta ) and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson ( Olivia Newton-John ), who develop an attraction for each other during a summer romance.
- Grease was released in the United States on June 16, 1978, by Paramount Pictures,
- The film was successful both critically and commercially, becoming the highest-grossing musical film at the time.
Its soundtrack album ended 1978 as the second-best-selling album of the year in the United States, only behind the soundtrack of the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever (which also starred Travolta), and the song ” Hopelessly Devoted to You ” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 51st Academy Awards,
- The film also received five nominations at the 36th Golden Globe Awards, including for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and two for Best Original Song, for ” Grease ” and “You’re the One that I Want”.
- In 2020, Grease was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
A sequel, Grease 2, was released in 1982, starring Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer as a newer class of greasers. Few of the original cast members reprised their roles. As of 2023, a short-lived prequel television series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, debuted on Paramount+, with a prequel film, titled Summer Lovin ‘, currently in production.
Why does Sandy change for Danny?
10 Grease (1978) What’s the deal with Grease (1978)? By Seth Duffy Grease is an exciting movie from the late 70’s. It stars a young John Travolta and, alongside Saturday Night Fever, catapulted him into fame. This movie is packed with problematic themes, but a large amount of them have to do with the extreme characteristics that the characters employ.
- The extent that every character is exaggerated may be due to the source material for the movie being a musical.
- Musicals tend to have characters that have easy to recognize qualities.
- Are these exaggerated character types and themes bad if, ultimately, it’s the point of the media? The costume choices the movie makes really stand out.
It becomes immediately apparent what personality traits a character possesses when they appear on the screen. Danny Zuko, our slick and cool tough guy, has slicked-back hair and is suited out in leather. Rizzo, by far the most promiscuous character in the entire show, is also dressed in all black and creates a stark contrast between her gaggle of pink-wearing underlings. Medium shot of Rizzo and the Pink Ladies (screengrab) The sheer amount of toxic masculinity in this film is staggering. Almost all the members of Danny’s gang either sexually assault or harass someone throughout the movie. Kaneki is the most problematic in this matter. Wide shot of Kaneki groping an extra (screengrab) There is constant judgment being leveled against the women in the movie through its use of dialogue. Sandy is bashed by Rizzo and the other women for her lack of sexual experience. Rizzo is judged by the women and men in the movie for her promiscuity.
They highlight her problematic expression of her sexuality by Danny Zuko saying, “Sloppy seconds ain’t my style”. This line suggests that Rizzo is some kind of used goods due to her previous sexual experience. Another heavily judged character in the film is Jan. Throughout the entire movie she’s made a joke because of her eating habits.
A character even goes as far as to say that he “doesn’t think that she’s all fat” and asks her to the prom. This wouldn’t be that problematic if the character in question was actually fat. Instead, it’s just a normal actress wearing baggy clothing. This movie also minimizes the problems of women.
At one point, Sandy is frustrated with Danny over an incident at prom. The incident is resolved by Danny giving her a ring he yanks off his finger in a comedic fashion. Afterward, she suddenly can’t think of a single problem that she has with him. Later on, in the scene Danny has his advances towards Sandy denied by her and he exclaims “Sandy, what’s the matter with you?”.
This cultivates a feeling like he deserves sexual gratification from her. Though this movie presents a large number of troubling ideas, it’s not as though it has no nuance. The hyper-masculinity that’s portrayed in the movie is starkly contrasted to Danny Zuko’s softer side. Danny Zuko embracing Kaneki (screengrab) The film gains some leeway due to the time period that it’s emulating. If it didn’t express these problematic themes when portraying the 1950’s it would be doing a disservice to the film, but the movie doesn’t really attempt to ridicule these behaviors.
The movie also portrays all characters in the world as over-the-top caricatures of what they would have been in reality. The nerd character in the movie has huge glasses, a pocket protector, and is carrying around a large stack of books. When characters in the film mock him for his glasses, he complains that he has astigmatism.
Portraying the character in such unrealistic manners helps differentiate fiction from reality because it begins to lose its resemblance. Sandy’s transformation at the end of the movie highlights even more poor ideas from the film. It portrays a message that you need to change yourself to get your man.
Not only does she transform herself, but the song is also centered around her needing a man. Some critics argue that Sandy’s transformation is her becoming her true self. Susanna Carr, from her self-titled website, says, ” the transformation is not just for Danny. It’s primarily for herself because she doesn’t like how she’s viewed” (1).
This theory has some ground since Sandy says that she isn’t feeling happy then goes and transforms herself, but the movie doesn’t really give an indication that this is her true self. Before the final scene, Sandy is only shown as a prim and proper person.
- She actively dislikes the macho masculine side of Danny Zuko and just wants the loving caring guy that she met during the summer.
- She changes herself to fit in.
- Chris Peterson, from OnStage Blog, highlights the disparity in the amount both characters change saying, “To win over not only Danny but her friends as well, sandy completely transforms herself.
In return, Danny joins the track team and earns a letterman sweater, which he immediately ditches once he sees the new Sandy, so to recap, Sandy succumbs to social pressures and Danny becomes a jock and reforms himself in Sandy’s eyes by taking off a sweater” (2).
The film is enjoyable to watch due to its colorful setting and good music. However, the movie portrays many of its characters in disgusting ways. To further exacerbate this problem, the movie does almost nothing to show that its negative themes are negative at all. The movie doesn’t become so exaggerated that it feels like it’s satirizing itself which makes it hard to overlook the problems with it.
References
Carr, Sussana. “Why I Applaud Sandy’s Transformation in Grease (and You Should Too!).” Susanna Carr, 22 Sept.2019, susannacarr.com/2018/08/01/why-i-applaud-sandys-transformation-in-grease-and-you-should-too/. Peterson, Christopher. “‘Oh Sandy” – A Different Perspective on Grease!” OnStage Blog, OnStage Blog, 14 July 2017, www.onstageblog.com/columns/2016/4/22/oh-sandy-a-different-perspective-on-grease.
: 10 Grease (1978)
Where did they film Grease?
Grease Locations – Grease was shot in various locations across the Los Angeles area, from the lively South Bay to the charming Silverlake neighborhood. Much of the production was filmed on-site, including exterior shots of Rydell High, taken at Venice High School, Huntington Park High School, and John Marshall High School.
The backdrop for these locations offers a unique look into different parts of Los Angeles. Venice offers stunning architecture with its art-deco facade, while Huntington Park provides a vibrant landscape with its school interiors and sports fields. Paying homage to classic musicals such as Guys and Dolls, Kleiser opted for a combination of both on-location shoots and Paramount studio sets to bring Grease’s fantasy alive.
Although some scenes were shot at the studio out of necessity, most were filmed around various places within Los Angeles. A trip to these locations would be worthwhile for any Grease fan looking to explore their favorite movie in more detail. Each spot allows viewers to experience the nostalgic atmosphere brought alive by the iconic musical.
Does John Travolta sing in Grease?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“Greased Lightnin'” | |||
---|---|---|---|
US single picture sleeve | |||
Single by John Travolta | |||
from the album Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | |||
B-side |
|
||
Released | 1978 1999 (re-release) | ||
Recorded | 1977 | ||
Genre | Rock and roll | ||
Length | 3 : 13 | ||
Label | RSO | ||
Songwriter(s) |
|
||
Producer(s) |
|
||
John Travolta singles chronology | |||
|
/td>
Greased Lightnin’ ” is a song from the 1971 musical Grease which was also adapted into the 1978 film Grease, A soundtrack recording from the film version, with John Travolta on lead vocals, peaked at No.47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.
Did John Travolta attend Olivia Newton-John’s funeral?
The real reason why John Travolta didn’t attend Olivia Newton-John’s state memorial Mar 06, 2023 6:30am Despite a muted lead-up to Olivia Newton-John’s in Victoria last week, global superstars clamoured to be among those paying their respects to the Aussie icon.
- From Dolly Parton and Elton John to Pink and Nicole Kidman, there’s no doubt Olivia, who died aged 73 last August at her California ranch after living with cancer for more than 30 years, would have been touched.
- But there was one famous face missing from the stellar line-up – Olivia’s Grease co-star, who was a no-show despite reports that he was on the list of attendees.
“The day must have felt incomplete without him.” (Image: Getty) Fans took to social media to express surprise that John, 69, not only failed to make the journey from his home in Florida to Melbourne, but also didn’t offer condolences or memories at all.
- Where was John Travolta’s tribute? I thought for sure he would have recorded a message,” posted one Twitter user, while another added, “I was a little perplexed by a couple of things at the memorial.
- Where was John Travolta’s tribute? And why did every ‘private’ photo of Olivia have Easterling in it?” Sources tell Woman’s Day that Olivia’s 70-year-old businessman husband and her musical co-star and close friend were rumoured to have had a tense relationship and “did not see eye to eye”, which could have been the reasoning behind John’s absence.
“Travolta’s close relationship with Olivia, which he talked about publicly and often, may not have sat well with her husband,” says the insider. John often spoke about his relationship with Olivia. (Image: Getty) Indeed, John made no secret of his feelings for the Aussie star, declaring that they “loved each other”, while fellow Grease star Didi Conn told the media that John did fancy Olivia at the time.
John hinted as much in his heartbreaking Instagram tribute to Olivia last year, declaring he was “yours from the moment I saw you”, and signing off with “Your Danny, Your John!” in a nod to their popular characters, onscreen lovers Sandy Olsson and Danny Zuko. One insider speculates the intimate tribute was “the straw that broke John back”.
“Put yourself in his shoes,” says the source. “He’s just lost his beloved wife, and before he’s had a chance to post a tribute of his own, John Travolta – who is well aware fans always wanted them to be together – beats him to it. It’s no surprise there might be tension between them.” Meanwhile, Woman’s Day understands that Olivia’s 37-year-old daughter Chloe Lattanzi was “so sad” the actor wasn’t by her side.
undefined: Woman’s Day team
read more from : The real reason why John Travolta didn’t attend Olivia Newton-John’s state memorial
How old was Olivia from Grease when she died?
She amassed No.
Why didn t Olivia marry John Travolta?
As Sandy and Danny, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta’s onscreen romance in Grease is one of the most iconic in film history. But did their undeniable chemistry ever spill over into real-life? Watch above: Olivia Newton-John looks back on her incredible life Stream the world’s best reality, entertainment and true crime shows for free on 7Bravo on 7plus >> Travolta shared a moving social media post about Newton-John following her passing on August 8, US time. The entertainer died peacefully aged 73 at her ranch in Southern California surrounded by family and friends. Signing his tribute as “Your Danny, your John!”, the actor told Newton-John that he was was “yours from the first moment I saw you”. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta at the Grease party at Paramount Studios in 1978 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Brad Elterman / FilmMagic While the pair never officially dated, the pair have made no secret of their feelings for one another. “I think we love each other and when you love someone you stay in touch,” Travolta said of his co-star. However Grease co-star Didi Conn – who played Frenchie – maintains that it was no secret that Travolta was secretly infatuated with Newton-John. “Oh yeah,” Conn told Daily Mail. “What was so much fun was that most of us were older than the characters we were playing so we just stayed in character all day long.” She also shared details of a little-known kiss that was filmed as part of an alternate ending for Grease, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in England during the week of release of the film Grease in September 1978. Credit: Mirrorpix / Getty Images “Randal Kleiser, the director, thought: ‘Maybe I should make an alternative ending’, and they fly up into the sky and instead of looking back, Danny looks at Sandy and pulls her closer to him and gives her the juiciest kiss and Olivia,” she added. “You see for a moment she’s surprised and then she responds. It’s juicy and it’s great. “They weren’t acting in that moment, it was like he had his chance and he was going to take it. It was real, it really was.” Newton-John explained that the timing was never right for romance. “We were both with other people when we were filming,” Newton-John said in 2018. “I think, respectfully, it just didn’t happen.” John Travolta kisses Olivia Newton-John in a scene from the film Two Of A Kind in 1983. Credit: Archive Photos / Getty Images If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your, To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide, She added: “I think it kept the tension there and the chemistry. It might have been a real disaster had we decided to date, or we had a falling out or something.” In 2021, Newton-John opened up about her first kiss with Travolta on the set of Grease – recalling the “exciting” moment. “It was at the beach – actually the opening scene of the movie,” she told Us Weekly, “It was a beautiful day. We were playing around in the water, and I don’t really remember exactly, but it was a very lovely day and an exciting moment because it was the start of the film, although everything was kind of out of order, but we did that. ‘I think we love each other and when you love someone you stay in touch,’ Travolta said of his co-star. Credit: RB / Redferns “That was the first time we had kissed.” After Grease, Travolta said they remained in each other’s lives forever. “We were together not that long ago, about three months ago, and we text each other all the time,” he said in 2019. “It’s wonderful. If I go to see her in her show, we go backstage and hang out, and I watch the show and all that. “If I go to see her personally, we usually have dinner and catch up. And recently we’ve been talking about trying to do something together.” John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Credit: Gregg DeGuire / WireImage Newton-John described Travolta as a “lovely, sweet man”. She added: “And he made all my acting experiences really easy. He was very thoughtful and encouraged me if he thought I wasn’t doing a good enough job.” In this tribute to Newton-John following her passing, Travolta spoke of his love for her. “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “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!” Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You – Part 1 airs on Channel 7 and 7plus Tuesday 9 August 9.10pm Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You – Part 2, airs on Channel 7 and 7plus Wednesday 10 August 9.00pm If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your, To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide,
What was the age difference between Olivia and John?
Olivia Newton-John was five years older than John Travolta – None of the main stars in “Grease” were teens, but John Travolta was closer to adolescence than some of his cohorts. Though he was already a screen veteran who had major roles in “Carrie” and “Saturday Night Fever,” the actor was just 23 when he filmed the movie,
- He was born on February 18, 1954, according to his IMDb page, while Olivia Newton-John was 28 years old, having been born on September 26, 1948.
- Despite Travolta’s youth, he was the more experienced on-screen performer.
- Newton-John has commented in interviews about how grateful she was for his help.
- She told Us Weekly, “John is a lovely, sweet man.
And he made all my acting experiences really easy. He was very thoughtful and encouraged me if he thought I wasn’t doing a good enough job.” She recalled that he even messed up a take once deliberately so producers would give her an opportunity to redo the scene.
- Newton-John also said that he would direct her at times.
- For example, when she was supposed to be mad at her, he’d act differently with her off-screen, getting her “on edge, which was perfect for the scene because I needed to be that way,” she said.
- And in case you were wondering, the two have said that the timing was never right for them to date (per The Sunday Post ), but at least one of the kisses between them was apparently real, as actress Didi Conn dished to the Daily Mail,
So while there may have been an age difference between the two, their close relationship did not suffer. As Newton-John told HollywoodLife, they remain friends to this day.
Were Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta a couple?
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were a couple only when they appeared together on the big screen. But their platonic love for each other endured long after they played Sandy and Danny in the hit 1978 movie “Grease.” “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta, 68, wrote Monday on Instagram after learning of Newton-John’s death that day at age 73,
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!” Theirs was a friendship forged in the extreme heat of “Grease,” filmed when they were both in their 20s. In 2018, Travolta explained the strength of their decades-long relationship.
“When you share that kind of meteoric success — and nothing has been able to exceed it — you share a bond,” he told People as the movie marked its 40th anniversary. “I’ve been through her having a child, getting divorced, losing her sister. She’s been through my getting married, having children.
- It’s wonderful and full of shared memories.” Newton-John gave her take on their relationship as well, telling People, “We did something life-changing, making that film.
- You got the feeling from the energy that something was happening.
- It was a huge response.
- I feel grateful to be a part of that and to have worked with him.
We’ve stayed friends ever since.” Travolta always took the time to reach out to her when things were tough, she said. Paul Hogan, left, with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta at the 2013 G’Day USA black-tie gala in L.A. (Getty Images for G’Day Australia) Over the decades, the actor-singers could be seen mingling at annual G’Day USA events promoting diplomatic and economic ties between the United States and Newton-John’s home country, Australia.
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta attend a “Grease” 40th-anniversary screening in Beverly Hills in August 2018. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images) Travolta and Newton-John were also excellent “Grease” ambassadors in the more than 40 years since the movie premiered, showing up when Paramount Pictures released a half-dozen of its top musicals on DVD and participating in events like the 2019 “Meet ‘n’ Grease” session that followed a movie sing-along in Palm Beach, Fla.
We love singing together,” Travolta said during that Q&A. “So anything is possible.” At a 40th-anniversary celebration of the movie, speaking on a panel discussion presented by the motion picture academy, he said Newton-John was his “favorite thing about doing ‘Grease.'” He remembered giving input when she was cast: “I said there is no other person in the universe other than Olivia Newton-John to play Sandy.
You must cast her.” Newton-John wasn’t so confident. She had been in a musical before and it hadn’t gone well, she revealed at the event, plus she was nervous about playing a teenager when she was in her late 20s. “Then they sent John to meet me,” she said.
- And who can say no, right? This gorgeous guy walks up my driveway, these bright blue eyes, and he was so sweet and melted me.” Alas, with the good must come the bad.
- There were two products of the Travolta/Newton-John friendship that might have been better left on the shelf.
- The first, “Two of a Kind,” was a box-office flop released in 1983.
While “Grease” made almost $400 million worldwide, the subsequent high-concept comedy pulled in a mere $24 million. A trailer for the movie even tried to sell the singing talents of the “Grease” stars, promising “lots of good music from the stars themselves, as well as Boz Skaggs and Chicago.” “Give me a break,” movie critic Roger Ebert wrote in his “Two of a Kind” review,
Don’t send me any more movies where four angels in heaven ask God to give mankind a second chance, and God agrees — on the condition that John Travolta reforms. This movie should have been struck by a lightning bolt.” The other clunker was “I Think You Might Like It,” a cheesy country-pop tune about gathering back home for Christmas, found on Travolta and Newton-John’s 2012 album, “This Christmas.” It was the lone original song on an album full of holiday standards.
The best way to experience the forgettable ditty is to dive in headfirst. Just click play on the incredibly hokey music video above and remember — good friends stick together through thick and thin. Especially when those friends are Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.
What year was Grease with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John?
The stars most recently got together and dressed up during the Meet n’ Grease sing-along event at the Coral Sky Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Florida, in late 2019 Updated on August 8, 2022 04:30PM EDT Paramount/Rso/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John first gave fans multiplying chills in the 1978 film Grease, in which they played star-crossed high school lovebirds Sandy Olsson and Danny Zuko.
And while they didn’t come together for the sequel, Grease 2, they kept fans happy through the years by popping up on red carpets around the world — and even releasing a 2012 holiday album! Here, some of their cutest moments since Grease was the word. AM/SplashNews.com At the Meet n’ Grease sing-along event, the pair — clad in coordinating leather jackets — answered questions from the audience, along with Grease director Randal Kleiser.
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic In August 2018, the pair got their hips moving at The Academy Presents Grease 40th Anniversary event at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Michael Buckner/Shutterstock In January of that year, they snuggled up for a photo at the G’Day USA Blake Tie Gala in L.A.
Mike Coppola/Getty In 2012, Travolta and Newton-John visited the SiriusXM studios in New York City for a December town hall. Charley Gallay/WireImage Always up for an Aussie party, Travolta joined Newton-John at the January 2012 Qantas Airways Spirit of Australia Party at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
Valerie Macon/Getty Images Sparkling on the red carpet at the 2010 Australia Week Black Tie Gala in L.A. Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic In 2008, they went black and white for the G’Day USA Australia.com Black Tie Gala in Hollywood. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in 2006.
- SGranitz/WireImage Another year, another G’Day L.A.
- Bash for the pair, here at the 2006 Penfolds Icon gala dinner in L.A.
- Evin Winter/Getty Images The pair smiled for the camera in October 2002 at the One World, One Child Benefit Concert in Beverly Hills.
- SGranitz/WireImage The two hit the stage in an undated performance shot.
Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images The stars hardly look a day older than Sandy and Danny in this undated snap.