John Travolta Speaks on Olivia Newton-John's Death
John Travolta honored his beloved Grease co-star, Olivia Newton-John, after her death due to breast cancer. More than four decades after the two Hollywood A-listers shared the screen in the 1978 hit, Travolta penned an emotional tribute to his co-star and friend after news broke that Newton-John passed away earlier that morning following a decades-long battle with breast cancer.
Travolta penned the heartbreaking message on Instagram Monday afternoon, where he shared a throwback photo of the actress, writing, "my dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better." The actor went on to reflect impact Newton-John not only had on him, but on the world, calling it "impeccable." Travolta added, "I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the moment I saw you and forever!" He signed off on the post, "Your Danny, your John," a reference to his onscreen counterpart in Grease.
Travolta's emotional and public tribute came just minutes after Newton-John's husband, John Easterling, confirmed the beloved actress' passing in a message shared on the singer's verified Instagram account, reading, "Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time. Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer."
At this time, Newton-John's official cause of death has not been confirmed, though a source told TMZ, "after a 30-year cancer journey, she lost her battle to metastatic breast cancer." The 73-year-old had numerous public battles with cancer, including in in the early '90s and in 2017. In 2018, she shared that she was treating cancer at the base of her spine.
Newton-John was a major figure in Hollywood, easily cementing her place as one of the most recognizable figure in the world throughout the '70s and '80s. She is perhaps best known for portraying Sandy in Grease opposite Travolta's Danny, the hit 1978 film that includes the pop classics "You're The One That I Want," "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights." The two, who remained close friends throughout the years, with Travolta in January even sharing a photo of himself and his family spending time with Newton-John. Newton-John is survived by her husband, daughter Chloe Lattanzi, sister Sarah Newton-John, brother Toby Newton-John, and several nieces and nephews.