About
Olivia Newton-John
Overview
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.
Known for
Acting |
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2024 | ABBA: Against the Odds | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2024 | Superstar (Song for Karen) | Actor | Self (archive footage) | N/A N/A |
2023 | John Farnham: Finding the Voice | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
2023 | Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2022 | Olivia Newton-John at the BBC | Actor | Self (archive footage) | N/A N/A |
2021 | Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over | Actor | Self | 58 Average |
2020 | Christmas with Delta 2020 | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2020 | The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee | Actor | Olivia | 58 Average |
2020 | The A-Z of Eurovision | Actor | Self - Contestant (archive footage) | N/A N/A |
2019 | High as Mike | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
2017 | And the Winner Isn't | Actor | Self | 58 Average |
2017 | The Grease Story | Actor | Sandy Olsson | 59 Average |
2017 | Sharknado 5: Global Swarming | Actor | Orion | 54 Average |
2017 | Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
2017 | John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood | Actor | Self - Actress (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2015 | John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John: Two Strong Hearts - Live in Concert | Actor | Self (Vocals) | 59 Average |
2014 | Country Queens at the BBC | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 58 Average |
2011 | A Few Best Men | Actor | Barbara Ramme | 58 Average |
2011 | John Denver Rocky Mountain High An Earth Day Concert | Actor | self | N/A N/A |
2010 | Score: A Hockey Musical | Actor | Hope Gordon | 58 Average |
2010 | 1 a Minute | Actor | Actress / Breast Cancer Survivor | 58 Average |
2008 | Sordid Lives: The Series | Actor | Bitsy Mae Harling | 69 Fair |
2008 | Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
2007 | Anne Murray Friends and Legends | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2007 | The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
2005 | Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2 | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
2005 | Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1 | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
2004 | The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made | Actor | Kira (archive footage) | 58 Average |
2004 | John Travolta: The Inside Story | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
2001 | The Wilde Girls | Actor | 58 Average |
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2000 | Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony | Actor | Self (Vocals) | 59 Average |
2000 | Sordid Lives | Actor | Bitsy Mae Harling | 59 Average |
1999 | Mannheim Steamroller - The Christmas Angel: A Story on Ice | Actor | Female Storyteller | N/A N/A |
1999 | Mariah Carey: Around the World | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
1998 | Bee Gees: One Night Only | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1998 | The Main Event | Actor | Self (Vocals) | 59 Average |
1998 | Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1997 | Snowden on Ice | Actor | Self - Performer (voice) | N/A N/A |
1996 | It's My Party | Actor | Lina Bingham | 59 Average |
1994 | A Christmas Romance | Actor | Julia Stonecypher | 58 Average |
1994 | Deepak Chopra The seven spiritual laws of success | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
1991 | Madonna: Truth or Dare | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
1990 | A Mom for Christmas | Actor | Amy Miller | 59 Average |
1990 | Timeless Tales: Rapunzel | Actor | Host | 58 Average |
1990 | AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1990 | Night of 100 Stars III | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
1989 | Liberian Girl | Actor | N/A N/A |
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1988 | Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
1988 | She's Having a Baby | Actor | Olivia Newton-John (uncredited) | 59 Average |
1985 | Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
1983 | Two of a Kind | Actor | Debbie | 59 Average |
1983 | Olivia Newton-John: In Concert | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1982 | Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
1980 | Xanadu | Actor | Kira | 58 Average |
1980 | Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights | Actor | Self | 58 Average |
1980 | The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980 | Actor | N/A N/A |
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1980 | The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1978 | Grease | Actor | Sandy Olsson | 73 Good |
1978 | Grease Day USA | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
1978 | Olivia | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
1977 | The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special | Actor | Princess Hialeah / Musical Guest | 59 Average |
1977 | Only Olivia | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
1977 | Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976 | Actor | Self - Uncredited | N/A N/A |
1976 | A Special: Olivia Newton-John | Actor | N/A N/A |
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1975 | Rocky Mountain Christmas | Actor | Herself | 59 Average |
1975 | The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1975 | Actor | N/A N/A |
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1974 | Sounds Like Les Dawson | Actor | N/A N/A |
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1970 | Toomorrow | Actor | Olivia | 58 Average |
1965 | Funny Things Happen Down Under | Actor | 59 Average |
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The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974 | Actor | N/A N/A |
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Production |
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2001 | The Wilde Girls | Production | Executive Producer | 58 Average |