Grease star Olivia Newton-John has died at the age of 73.
Her family said that she “passed away peacefully at her ranch in southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends”.
The actress was best known for playing Sandy in the 1978 hit musical Grease. She starred alongside John Travolta, who played greaser Danny Zuko. The soundtrack remains one of the world’s best-selling albums of recorded music, with classics such as “You’re the One That I Want” – which is one of the best-selling singles of all time – and “Summer Nights”.
Although a definite cause of death is yet to be revealed, a source reportedly told TMZ that, “After a 30-year cancer journey, she lost her battle to metastatic breast cancer.”
Olivia Newton-John was firstly diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. However, it went into remission. She was diagnosed again in 2013 and also in 2018. The latter saw the ‘If Not For You’ singer developing cancer at the base of her spine.
In 2019, she said that despite having cancer, she was grateful for every day. She told People that, “I’m so lucky that I’ve been through this three times and I’m still here. I’m living with it. Every day is a gift now, particularly now.”
Although a definite cause of death is yet to be revealed, a source reportedly told TMZ that, “After a 30-year cancer journey, she lost her battle to metastatic breast cancer.”
According to the Facebook post that broke the news, “Olivia is survived by her husband John Easterling; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; nieces and nephews Tottie, Fiona and Brett Goldsmith; Emerson, Charlie, Zac, Jeremy, Randall, and Pierz Newton-John; Jude Newton-Stock, Layla Lee; Kira and Tasha Edelstein; and Brin and Valerie Hall.”
Continuing their earlier statement, her family added: “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer”.
“Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”
Newton-John became a Dame in 2020 for services to charity, cancer research and entertainment.
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