
Olivia Newton-John
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1948-09-26
Day of Death
2022-08-08 (73 years old)
Place of Birth
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Olivia Newton-John
Biography
Dame Olivia Newton-John AC, DBE was an English-born, Australian-raised singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles (including two platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two platinum and four double platinum) have been certified gold by the RIAA. She has sold an estimated over 100 million albums worldwide.
In 1978, she co-starred with John Travolta in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, Grease, which became one of the most successful films and movie soundtracks in Hollywood history. It features two major hit duets with co-star John Travolta: "You're the One That I Want"—which is one of the best-selling singles of all time—and "Summer Nights".
She 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. Her performance earned her a People's Choice Award for Favorite 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.
In 1980, she starred with Gene Kelly and Michael Beck in the musical fantasy film Xanadu. Although it was a critical failure, its soundtrack was certified double platinum and scored five top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She charted with "Magic", "Suddenly" with Cliff Richard, and the title song "Xanadu" with the Electric Light Orchestra.
"Magic" was Newton-John's biggest pop hit to that point and still ranks as the biggest AC hit of her career. The film has since become a cult classic and the basis for a Broadway show that ran for more than 500 performances beginning in 2007 and was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical.
She helped pioneer the music video industry by recording a video album for Physical, featuring videos of all the album's tracks and three of her older hits. The video album earned her a fourth Grammy and was aired as an ABC prime-time special, Let's Get Physical, becoming a top-10 Nielsen hit.
She teamed up with Travolta again in 1983 for the critically and commercially unsuccessful movie Two of a Kind, redeemed by its platinum soundtrack featuring "Twist of Fate", and a new duet with Travolta, "Take a Chance"Iowa.
In 2002, she was inducted into Australia's ARIA Hall of Fame and, in 2015, she was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame. In recognition for "her work as an entertainer and philanthropist", she was bestowed Australia's highest honor, the Companion of the Order of Australia, in June 2019.
In 2008, she raised funds to help build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia. She led a three-week, 228 km walk along the Great Wall of China, joined by various celebrities and cancer survivors throughout her trek. The walk symbolised the steps cancer patients must take on their road to recovery.
She was a a long-time activist for environmental and animal rights issues. She battled breast cancer three times and was an advocate for breast cancer research and health awareness. Her business ventures included launching several product lines for Koala Blue and co-owning the Gaia Retreat & Spa in Australia.
Known For
Acting
(2024)
ABBA: Against the Odds
as Self (archive footage)
(2024)
Christmas with Delta in Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
(2024)
Superstar (Song for Karen)
as Self (archive footage)
(2023)
John Farnham: Finding the Voice
as Self (archive footage)
(2023)
Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection
as Self (archive footage)
(2022)
Olivia Newton-John at the BBC
as Self (archive footage)
(2021)
(2020)
The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
as Olivia
(2020)
The A-Z of Eurovision
as Self - Contestant (archive footage)
(2020)
Christmas with Delta 2020
as Self
(2019)
High as Mike
as Self
(2017)
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming
as Orion
(2017)
And the Winner Isn't
as Self
(2017)
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
as Self - Actress (archive footage)
(2017)
(2017)
The Grease Story
as Sandy Olsson
(2015)
(2014)
Country Queens at the BBC
as Self (archive footage)
(2011)
A Few Best Men
as Barbara Ramme
(2011)
(2010)
1 a Minute
as Self - Actress / Breast Cancer Survivor
(2010)
Score: A Hockey Musical
as Hope Gordon
(2009)
Sound Relief - SCG
as Self
(2008)
(2007)
(2006)
(2005)
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1
as Herself
(2005)
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2
as Herself
(2004)
The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made
as Kira (archive footage)
(2004)
(2001)
(2000)
Sordid Lives
as Bitsy Mae Harling
(2000)
Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony
as Self (Vocals)
(1999)
(1999)
(1999)
Mannheim Steamroller - The Christmas Angel: A Story on Ice
as Female Storyteller
(1998)
(1998)
The Main Event
as Self (Vocals)
(1997)
Snowden on Ice
as Self - Performer (voice)
(1996)
It's My Party
as Lina Bingham
(1994)
A Christmas Romance
as Julia Stonecypher
(1994)
(1991)
Madonna: Truth or Dare
as Self
(1990)
Timeless Tales: Rapunzel
as Host
(1990)
Night of 100 Stars III
as Self
(1990)
A Mom for Christmas
as Amy Miller
(1990)
(1988)
She's Having a Baby
as Olivia Newton-John (uncredited)
(1988)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
as Self (archive footage)
(1985)
Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss
as Herself
(1983)
Two of a Kind
as Debbie
(1983)
(1982)
Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical
as Herself
(1980)
Xanadu
as Kira
(1980)
(1980)
(1980)
(1978)
Grease
as Sandy Olsson
(1978)
Grease Day USA
as Self
(1978)
Olivia
as Self
(1977)
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
as Princess Hialeah / Musical Guest
(1977)
Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976
as Self - Uncredited
(1977)
Only Olivia
as Herself
(1976)
(1975)
(1975)
Rocky Mountain Christmas
as Self
(1974)
(1974)
(1970)
Toomorrow
as Olivia
(1965)
Crew
(2006)
(2001)
The Wilde Girls
Executive Producer