Olivia Newton-John asked fans to donate to her charity instead of buying flowers in her memory before she died aged 73 – as her moving final photo surrounded by sunflowers with a beaming smile is revealed.
Newton-John, who shot to international stardom thanks to her role as Sandy in the 1978 movie Grease, died on Monday morning surrounded by family at her home in southern California after a long battle with breast cancer.
John Easterling, John’s husband, revealed that actress Olivia Newton-John requested donations be made to the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund in lieu of flowers.
This foundation supports research in plant-based medicine as well holistic treatment for cancer.
Newton-John was still posting flashbacks from her career on her Instagram. However, she shared an unusual candid picture of herself, which is believed to have been her last.
While Newton-John’s Instagram consisted mainly of flashback photos from her career, the star posted a candid picture of herself on April 18th with a smile and a sunlit bed.
The photo shows the 73 year-old smiling in her garden, from ear to eye.
She captioned her photo with, “Wishing everyone Happy Easter on This Beautiful Spring Day,”
Newton-John, in her final video uploaded just before Christmas, thanked all her fans for supporting her over the years.
Newton-John shared her last video just before Christmas, and wished everyone a happy, peaceful Christmas following a difficult 2021.
Newton-John stated, “I wanted to just take this chance to wish everyone a primarily happy, healthy, and peaceful Christmas.”
“It’s been very hard for everyone on the planet. This is an opportunity to celebrate one another and our families. Whatever faith you have, we can share it. It’s very important.
“I would like to say thank you for your continued support throughout the years. I send love and light and wish you the very best.
Olivia Newton John is best known for her role in Grease’s 1978 movie Sandy (pictured with Newton-Joh together with Grease star John Travolta).
Newton-John’s battle with breast cancer first began in 1992 when she was just 44 years old.
She spoke openly about her diagnosis, treatment and use of marijuana.
In 2013, and 2017, her cancer returned.
Newton-John and Easterling met on an ayahuasca retreat to Peru.
Fans left flowers and photos on Newton-John’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (above) after she died Monday morning
Newton-John’s husband John Easterling (right) broke the news of her death on Monday by sharing a post to her Facebook page
Newton-John’s daughter Chloe Lattanzi shared a photo with her mother just three days before her death, writing: ‘I worship this woman. My mother. My best friend’
John Travolta (star of Grease) was the first person to honor Newton-John by writing “your Danny, Your John” under the photo (below).
One of the star’s first high-profile friends to pay tribute was her Grease co-star John Travolta.
“My sweet Olivia, your presence made our lives better. You had a profound impact. Your impact was amazing. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again,’ he captioned an Instagram post alongside a photo of Newton-John.
Yours, from the very first time I met you. Your Danny, your John!’
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease, the 1978 film that launched her career. On Monday, he was one of the first people to honor her.
Meanwhile, Richard Wilkins broke down on the Today show as he spoke about the death of his long-time friend.
Wilkins (68) burst into tears when his last interview was broadcast.
Karl Stefanovic, today’s host, stepped out of his chair on the panel as comfort for his colleague.
Karl Stefanovic, the host of this panel, sat down to console his colleague who had just wiped his eyes.
Wilkins wept, “I didn’t want this to happen,”
Stefanovic hugged the presenter and said, “It’s okay.” “This woman was exceptional.”
Other tributes include the Australian singer Delta Goodrem who paid tribute to her’mentor’ and ‘friend’.
Delta, 37-years old, posted photos of Olivia being hugged by her, and she said that they were ‘like a family’.
Delta posted a touching message saying, “I will always love you,” The whole world is going to feel the pain of Olivia’s loss today. An agent of change. The force of nature. A force of nature. Strong and kind.
‘My mentor, my friend, my inspiration, someone who always guided me… she was always there for me. My family.
After Olivia Newton-John’s long battle with cancer, Delta Goodrem was heartbroken and paid respect to Olivia Newton John.
She added: ‘I don’t have all the words I would like to say today but I hope everyone will join in celebrating our beloved Olivia, her heart, soul, talent, courage, grace… I love you forever ❤️.’
In the 2018 mini-series Olivia Newton-John, Hopelessly Devoted To You, she played the iconic role of the Australian icon from ‘Lost Without You’.
Her 36-year old daughter Chloe Lattanzi, who wrote a touching tribute on Instagram to her mother three days ago and said: “I worship her woman.” My mother. My best friend.’
“The world today will be heartbroken because Olivia was the unmatched light that brought it all together. An agent of change. The force of nature. Delta said that she was strong and kind. They were photographed together at Hollywood’s 2019 Oscars.
After their battles with cancer, the pair became close friends. Delta was diagnosed at 18 with Hodgkins lymphoma and Olivia with stage-4 metastatic breast cancer.
Famously, the actress beat breast cancer two times. She was again diagnosed in 2017.
The last couple of years she spent at home campaigning for animal welfare and raising funds for her charity.
The Guardian, 2020 interview: She said that the disease was a constant part of her life.
I felt like something was amiss. Although it’s troubling when the problem comes back, I believed that “I’ll get it through again”.
Lattanzi, along with many other photographs from her childhood, shared the touching photo on Instagram Monday. Although she didn’t post any captions, her followers were overwhelmed with messages of support and condolences.
When she was asked about her brave battle with the disease, she replied, “I have had an incredible life, so I don’t complain.” You really shouldn’t.
“Everyone has to go through some thing. Everybody has to deal with something in this life. I have found this to be my greatest challenge.
Newton-John was born in England to a MI5 agent father. She and her family then moved to Melbourne, Australia when she was just six years old. As a teenager, she returned to Britain to pursue singing and was a star in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974.
Newton-John in 1974, competing in Eurovision Song Contest For Britain. She was there four years prior to her role in Grease. Here she is (right), in 1980
Just days before her death, Olivia Newton-John posted a heartwarming throwback photo to Instagram alongside her husband John Easterling
Grease gave her her breakthrough four years later. The part was rejected by Allan Carr, who she believed she was too old to play.
To accommodate her accent, he won her over and modified the script so that he could make his character an Australian expat.
It was a huge success when the film was released and became a symbol of sex worldwide.
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.
It is dedicated to Matt Lattanzi her first husband. They were married from 1984 to 1995.
Let’s be real: Newton-John promotes her 1980 album. Right, it was dedicated to Matt Lattanzi her first husband. From 1984 to 1995, the couple were married.
Olivia was battling metastatic stage-4 breast cancer since her early twenties.
Newton-John lost her acting career after Grease. In 1980, she starred alongside Lattanzii in the film Xanadu. However, it didn’t do well at the box-office.
Following the 1986 birth of her baby girl, She was forced to take three years off her job. Then she received her first ever cancer diagnosis at 44.
She devoted much of her professional life to humanitarian and charity work after her initial diagnosis.
The woman was known for being openly candid about her use of drugs, especially to heal herself, and she met her second husband in Peru at an Ayahuasca retreat. In 2008, they returned to their home country to wed.
Famously, Newton-John refused to play Sandy in Grease’s 1978 film. Newton-John was just 28 years old at the time. She thought it was unfair to try and portray an inexperienced high school student.
Newton-John’s famous sweet-to-sexy transformation has been recreated over the years in tributes and costumes
On Monday, news broke that she had died. Tributes came in both from Australian icons and Hollywood celebrities.
Kylie Minogue posted a throwback picture of Olivia Newton John and wrote: “Since the age of ten, I have loved Olivia Newton John and been influenced by her. And I’ll always love her.
“She was, and will always be an inspiration to my in many, many ways. To her loved ones and family, my sincere condolences. x ONJ4EVER.
Bindi shared a photo in which she was holding the legendary actress’s hand, and said: “One the kindest, most beautiful souls the planet has ever known.”
Bindi also posted a picture of her holding the legendary actress’s hand and said: “One the kindest, most beautiful souls the planet has ever known.”
Love and Light ONJ. Rebel Wilson said, “You were an icon and I absolutely loved you.”
Barbra Strreisand said on Instagram that she was too young to leave the world. May she RIP.
Antonio Banderas said: ‘Rest in peace, Olivia Newton-John. We send our deepest sympathies to her family members and friends.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences posted an image of Travolta and Newton-John in 1978.
John Travolta (April 3, 1978) – ‘Olivia Newton John and John Travolta, at the 50th Academy Awards. They took the movie world by storm as Sandy (and Danny) in “Grease” a few months later. This film went on to be the biggest grossing film of 1978 and proved that Grease will always be the best.
Newton-John at 2018’s Wellness Walk and Research Run, Melbourne. In 2018, Newton-John at the Wellness Walk and Research Run in Melbourne.
A photo was posted by the Australian High Commission in the UK of Newton-John at the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
Twitter users expressed their sadness at the loss of Olivia Newton-John AC, DBE.
“British-born and Australian-raised, Dame Olivia instilled us with song and brought our community together. We are remembering her together with British friends and offer our condolences for her family.