
Olivia Newton-John
Biography
Dame Olivia Newton-John AC, DBE was an English-born, Australian-raised singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles (including two platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two platinum and four double platinum) have been certified gold by the RIAA. She has sold an estimated over 100 million albums worldwide.
In 1978, she co-starred with John Travolta in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, Grease, which became one of the most successful films and movie soundtracks in Hollywood history. It features two major hit duets with co-star John Travolta: "You're the One That I Want"—which is one of the best-selling singles of all time—and "Summer Nights".
She became the second woman (after Linda Ronstadt in 1977) to have two singles – "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights" – in the Billboard top 5 simultaneously. Her performance earned her a People's Choice Award for Favorite Film Actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical and performed the Oscar-nominated "Hopelessly Devoted to You" at the 1979 Academy Awards.
In 1980, she starred with Gene Kelly and Michael Beck in the musical fantasy film Xanadu. Although it was a critical failure, its soundtrack was certified double platinum and scored five top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She charted with "Magic", "Suddenly" with Cliff Richard, and the title song "Xanadu" with the Electric Light Orchestra.
"Magic" was Newton-John's biggest pop hit to that point and still ranks as the biggest AC hit of her career. The film has since become a cult classic and the basis for a Broadway show that ran for more than 500 performances beginning in 2007 and was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical.
She helped pioneer the music video industry by recording a video album for Physical, featuring videos of all the album's tracks and three of her older hits. The video album earned her a fourth Grammy and was aired as an ABC prime-time special, Let's Get Physical, becoming a top-10 Nielsen hit.
She teamed up with Travolta again in 1983 for the critically and commercially unsuccessful movie Two of a Kind, redeemed by its platinum soundtrack featuring "Twist of Fate", and a new duet with Travolta, "Take a Chance"Iowa.
In 2002, she was inducted into Australia's ARIA Hall of Fame and, in 2015, she was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame. In recognition for "her work as an entertainer and philanthropist", she was bestowed Australia's highest honor, the Companion of the Order of Australia, in June 2019.
In 2008, she raised funds to help build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia. She led a three-week, 228 km walk along the Great Wall of China, joined by various celebrities and cancer survivors throughout her trek. The walk symbolised the steps cancer patients must take on their road to recovery.
She was a a long-time activist for environmental and animal rights issues. She battled breast cancer three times and was an advocate for breast cancer research and health awareness. Her business ventures included launching several product lines for Koala Blue and co-owning the Gaia Retreat & Spa in Australia.
Acting (63 movies)

Grease
1978

Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection
2023

Sounds Like Les Dawson
1974

Two of a Kind
1983

It's My Party
1996

The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
1980

Xanadu
1980

John Farnham: Finding the Voice
2023

1 a Minute
2010

Mannheim Steamroller: The Christmas Angel - A Story on Ice
1999

Mariah Carey: Around the World
1999

Sordid Lives
2000

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
2006

A Christmas Romance
1994

A Mom for Christmas
1990

A Few Best Men
2011

Score: A Hockey Musical
2010

Toomorrow
1970

Madonna: Truth or Dare
1991

Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976
1977

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988

John Travolta: The Inside Story
2004

Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs
1998

Night of 100 Stars III
1990

John Denver Rocky Mountain High An Earth Day Concert
2011

The A-Z of Eurovision
2020

Olivia Newton-John at the BBC
2022

Christmas with Delta 2020
2020

Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical
1982

John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John: Two Strong Hearts - Live in Concert
2015

ABBA: Against the Odds
2024

Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1
2005

Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2
2005

Funny Things Happen Down Under
1965

Timeless Tales: Rapunzel
1990

Country Queens at the BBC
2014

Olivia Newton-John: In Concert
1983

Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights
1980

Sharknado 5: Global Swarming
2017

The Grease Story
2017

And the Winner Isn't
2017

The Main Event
1998

A Special: Olivia Newton-John
1976

She's Having a Baby
1988

Olivia
1978

Grease Day USA
1978

Rocky Mountain Christmas
1975

The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
2020

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980
1980

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1975
1975

High as Mike
2019

Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees
2017

Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House
2008

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974
1974

Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony
2000

Snowden on Ice
1997

Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss
1985

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017

The Wilde Girls
2001

Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
2021

Christmas with Delta in Hollywood
2024

Sound Relief - SCG
2009

Bee Gees One Night Only In Australia
1999
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| The Wilde Girls | 2001 | Executive Producer |