John Travolta broke down on stage at the 95th Academy Awards as he recognized former co-star Olivia Newton-John while introducing the In Memoriam segment. Travolta paid an emotional tribute to his late Grease co-star, tearing up as he quoted one of the musical’s songs. He said: “Each of them left an individual and indelible mark that and shared and informed us. They’ve touched our hearts, they’ve made us smile, and became dear friends, who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to.” It was a poignant, emotional moment for the ceremony, with one viewer tweeting, “Not John Travolta quoting hopelessly devoted to you by Olivia newton john in his introduction to the #Oscars tribute performance.” Along with Newton-John, names like Irene Papas, Robbie Coltrane, Kirstie Alley, Dame Angela Lansbury, Irene Cara, Ray Liotta, Nichelle Nichols, Burt Bacharach, Vangelis, James Caan and Raquel Welch appeared on the screen during the segment. Travolta also honored his beloved Newton-John shortly after her passing on August 8, 2022, following a decades-long battle with breast cancer.
Travolta penned the heartbreaking message on Instagram: “my dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better.” Travolta went on to reflect on the impact Newton-John not only had on him, but on the whole world, describing it as “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,” referencing his onscreen counterpart in Grease. The 73-year-old faced numerous cancer battles in her lifetime, including in the early 1990s and 2017. In 2018, she revealed that she was being treated for cancer at the base of her spine.
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Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, Newton-John became one of the most recognizable figures in Hollywood. She is perhaps best remembered for playing 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.” Over the years, the two remained close friends, and Travolta even shared a photo of Newton-John and his family in January 2022. Newton-John is survived by her husband, daughter Chloe Lattanzi, sister Sarah Newton-John, brother Toby Newton-John, and several nieces and nephews.
