Olivia Newton-John, the English-Australian singer and actress beloved for her portrayal of Sandy inGrease,has died.
According to herofficial social media pages, Newton-John died Aug. 8 while at her home in Southern California.
We ask that everyone kindly respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time."
Olivia Newton-John in 2012.Nic Gibson/Newspix via Getty images
She had a long-ranging career in entertainment, most notably as a songwriter and recording artist.
Newton-John sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.
In 1979, Queen Elizabeth bestowed her with an Order of the British Empire designation.
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta as Sandy and Danny in ‘Grease’.Paramount Pictures/Fotos International/Getty Images
For millions, she will be best remembered as good-girl turned greaser Sandy in 1978 filmGreaseoppositeJohn Travolta.
Newton-John battled cancer repeatedly in her lifetime, previouslypostponing a tour in 2017because of its return.
The star was born September 26, 1948 in Cambridge, England to Irene and Brin Newton-John.
Olivia Newton-John in ‘Grease’.Everett Collection
The family moved to Melbourne, Australia when she was only five.
After that came the mega-success ofPhysical,which went double platinum.
It was a bit raunchier than I realized.
He said, ‘It’s too late.
It’s already gone to radio and it’s running up the charts.’
I was horrified!"
She immortalized the song further with an exercise-inspired music video that capitalized on the aerobics trends of the 1980s.
The song also led to an ABC primetime special, titledLet’s Get Physical.
The organization is now known as Healthy Child, Healthy World.
Her experiences withGaiaalso led Newton-John to be more active as a songwriter from thereafter.
She actively toured throughout her career, including a 2014 Las Vegas residency.
She was married twice.
