By Deirdre Simonds and Jennifer Smith, Chief Reporter
04:18 13 Mar 2023, update 04:50 13 Mar 2023
- John Travolta got emotional as he paid tribute to his friend and late Grease costar Olivia Newton-John
- The 69-year-old almost burst into tears after giving a subtle nod to the actress’ 1978 ballad, sung by her character Sandy in their iconic musical.
- The star barely finished his sentence when he choked on his words and started to get up, before gathering the strength to welcome Lenny Kravitz on stage.
John Travolta got emotional as he paid tribute to his friend and late Grease costar Olivia Newton-John while presenting the In Memoriam segment at the Oscars on Sunday night.
As he paid tribute to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars who died last year, the 69-year-old nearly burst into tears as he asked audiences and viewers to remember his industry peers. entertainment that are no longer with us.
“They touched our hearts, they made us smile and became dear friends, to whom we will always remain desperately devoted,” the father-of-three said in a trembling voice, after nodding at the 1978 ballad by Newton John. hit, sung by his character Sandy in their iconic musical rom-com.
The star barely finished his sentence when he choked on his words and started gushing, before gathering his strength to welcome Lenny Kravitz on stage.
The singer, 58, performed his 2004 hit Calling All Angels on piano in a beautiful tribute video in memory of film industry professionals including Ray Liotta, Angelo Badalamenti, Jean-Luc Goddard, Irene Cara, Julie Reichert , Burt Bacharach, Angela Lansbury, Mary Alice, James Caan and Raquel Welch.
Fans were quick to praise Travolta’s vulnerability on Twitter, with many declaring him an amazing friend for coming through his grief to present the segment.
‘Poor #JohnTravolta! He recently lost 3 of the loves of his life! : his wife #KellyPreston #OliviaNewtonJohn & #KirstieAlley That’s a lot for anyone!’ one pointed out.
His wife, Kelly Preston, also died of breast cancer in 2020, while his longtime friend, Kirstie Alley, died of colon cancer in December.
In August 2022, Newton-John died at the age of 73 after a courageous and extraordinarily public decades-long battle with cancer.
The actress passed away peacefully at her Southern California home, surrounded by family and friends. Her husband John Easterling announced her death on his Facebook page.
‘Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully this morning at her ranch in Southern California, surrounded by family and friends.
“We ask everyone to respect the privacy of the family during this very difficult time.
“Olivia has been a beacon of triumphs and hope for over 30 years, sharing her journey with breast cancer.
“Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience in plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation fund, dedicated to plant medicine and cancer research,” he said.
Following the news, flowers were laid on her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as fans celebrated the life of the much-loved actress and singer.
Travolta was among the first to pay tribute to the actress.
“My dearest Olivia, you have made our lives so much better. Your impact has been incredible. I love you so much. We will see you on the road again and we will all be together again.
“Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever!” Your Danny, your John! he said in an Instagram post, at the time.
The actress beat breast cancer twice, but was diagnosed again in 2017.
She has spent the last few years at home, campaigning for animal rights and raising money for her charity online.
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.
“I felt something was wrong. It’s worrying when it comes back, but I thought to myself ‘I’ll get over it’.
In other interviews, when asked how she fought the disease so bravely, she replied, “I had and have an amazing life, so I have no complaints.
‘I really do not know. Everyone goes through something. We all have something to go through in life. This has been my challenge.
Born in England to an MI5 agent father, Newton-John and her family moved to Melbourne, Australia when she was six years old. She returned to the UK as a teenager to pursue a singing career and performed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.
His big break in Grease came four years later. She resisted the role, initially turning down producer Allan Carr because she thought she was too old for the role.
He won her over and adapted the script to cast the character as an Australian expat to suit her accent.
When the film was released, it was an immediate international hit and she became a global sex symbol.