Olivia Newton-John shared a touching Instagram post days before her death at the age of 72 after a hard and long battle against breast cancer.
This morning, the actress died peacefully in her Southern California home surrounded by loved ones. John Easterling was her husband.
“Dame Olivia Newton John (73) has passed peacefully in her Ranch, Southern California today, surrounded with family and friends.
‘We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.
“Olivia” has been an icon of hope and triumphs for more than 30 years as she shared her struggle with breast cancer.
A few days prior to her death, she posted a picture of herself on social media alongside John.
Just days before her death, Olivia Newton-John posted a heartwarming photo to Instagram alongside her husband John Easterling
It was captioned “#flashbackfriday”.
The first commenter on this post was made by Delta Goodrem, an Australian singer.
She wrote, “So beautiful.”
Heartwarming messages were also sent by fans to the star, letting her know that they are keeping them in their thoughts and prayers.
One wrote: ‘I’m sending you wishes for continued good health,’ one fan wrote. ‘I’m keeping you in my prayers. You are my light and love.
One said, “Thinking about you Olivia.” From south France, we send you light and love.
Olivia Newton-John (left) in her final public appearance in 2019. On Monday, the actress passed away at the age of 73. Right, she is seen in the iconic Grease role that she played in 1978
Newton-John was 73 years old. Her husband, John, announced her passing on Monday via her Facebook Page. She was 73
John Travolta with Olivia Newton John in Grease 1978, which catapulted her career. On Monday, he was one of the first people to honor her.
John Travolta is among the first Instagrammers to pay tribute Newton-John. In 1978, their combined performance launched both their careers.
John Travolta was one of the first people to pay respect to Olivia after her passing on Monday. He was her star in Grease, the movie which launched her career.
“My dearest Olivia! You made my life so much easier. Your influence was amazing. Your impact was amazing. We’ll see each other down the road, and together we’ll be again.
Yours, from the very first time I met you. Your Danny, your John!’ He said it in an Instagram posting.
In lieu of flowers, the family wanted to make donations to Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, a cancer charity.
She is survived by her 36-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, and her siblings.
He didn’t confirm her cause of death.
On Instagram, Chloe wrote a beautiful tribute to her mother three days ago. “I love this woman. My mom. She said, “My best friend.”
This actress was famously diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 after she beat it twice.
In a haunting interview with The Guardian in 2020, she said of the disease: ‘It’s been a part of my life for so long. It felt like something was not right. It’s concerning when it comes back, but I thought “I’ll get through it again”‘.
She also answered questions about the brave fight against cancer in other interviews.
“I’m not sure. Everybody goes through some kind of struggle. Everybody has something that they have to face in this life. It has been a challenge for me.
John Easterling announced Newton-John’s passing on Monday on his Facebook page
Newton-John, who was born to an MI5 agent dad in England, and her family later moved to Melbourne (Australia) when she turned six. When she was just a teenager, Newton-John returned to England to pursue her singing career. She starred in the Eurovision Song Contest of 1974.
Four years later, her big break with Grease was made. The part was rejected by Allan Carr, who she believed she was too old to play.
The movie became an instant international success and made her a worldwide sex icon.
Olivia Newton-John died at her home in Southern California, surrounded by loved ones.
Newton-John stood by her sweet-tosexy transition over the course of many years and despite widespread criticism from #MeToo.
‘It’s a movie. It’s a story from the 50s where things were different. Everybody forgets that he does change for her at the final.
‘There’s nothing deep in there about the #MeToo movement. It’s just a girl who loves a guy, and she thinks if she does that, he’ll like her.
‘And he thinks if he does that, she’ll like him. I think that’s pretty real. It’s common for people to do this for one another. This was an enjoyable love story.
After riding the success of Grease, she achieved her new status as a sex symbol with Physical, her best-selling album and single in 1981.
This was her first marriage, Matt Lattanzi in 1985. She was also the father of it.
Newton-John’s acting career was ruined after Grease. She appeared alongside Lattanzi in the movie Xanadu in 1980, but it failed to impress in the box office.
After the birth of her child in 1986, she took three years off from work. In 1992, when she was 44, her first diagnosis was for cancer.
Newton-John’s famous sweet-to-sexy transformation has been recreated over the years in tributes and costumes
Famously, Newton-John refused to play Sandy in Grease’s 1978 film. At the time, she was only 28 and believed that it was inappropriate for her to portray a high-school student.
Newton-John, left in 1974 when she was competing in the Eurovision Song Contest in Britain. This is four years after her role in Grease. Right, you can see her singing in 1980