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.
Christmas with Delta in Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2024
ABBA: Against the Odds
Self (archive footage)
2024
Superstar (Song for Karen)
Self (archive footage)
2024
John Farnham: Finding the Voice
Self (archive footage)
2023
Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection
Self (archive footage)
2023
Olivia Newton-John at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2022
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
Self
2021
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under
Self - Special Guest · (1 episode)
2021
Christmas with Delta 2020
Self
2020
The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
Olivia
2020
The A-Z of Eurovision
Self - Contestant (archive footage)
2020
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2019
High as Mike
Self
2019
And the Winner Isn't
Self
2017
The Grease Story
Sandy Olsson
2017
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming
Orion
2017
Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees
Self
2017
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Self - Actress (archive footage)
2017
Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales
Sandy Olsson (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2015
John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John: Two Strong Hearts - Live in Concert
Self (Vocals)
2015
Country Queens at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2014
RuPaul Drives...
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2013
A Few Best Men
Barbara Ramme
2011
John Denver Rocky Mountain High An Earth Day Concert
self
2011
Score: A Hockey Musical
Hope Gordon
2010
1 a Minute
Self - Actress / Breast Cancer Survivor
2010
Music Nuggets
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2009
Glee
Olivia Newton-John · (2 episodes)
2009
Sound Relief - SCG
Self
2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2009
Sordid Lives: The Series
Bitsy Mae Harling · (12 episodes)
2008
Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House
Self
2008
Anne Murray Friends and Legends
Self
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (1 episode)
2007
Animal nocturno
Self · (1 episode)
2006
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Self
2006
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2
Herself
2005
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1
Herself
2005
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Dancing with the Stars
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2005
The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made
Kira (archive footage)
2004
John Travolta: The Inside Story
Self
2004
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2002
The Wilde Girls
2001
Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony
Self (Vocals)
2000
Sordid Lives
Bitsy Mae Harling
2000
Mannheim Steamroller - The Christmas Angel: A Story on Ice
Female Storyteller
1999
The Early Show
Self · (1 episode)
1999
Where Are They Now?
Self · (2 episodes)
1999
Mariah Carey: Around the World
Self
1999
Bee Gees One Night Only In Australia
Host
1999
Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs
Self
1998
The Main Event
Self (Vocals)
1998
Snowden on Ice
Self - Performer (voice)
1997
The View
Self · (1 episode)
1997
It's My Party
Lina Bingham
1996
Ned and Stacey
Olivia Newton-John · (1 episode)
1995
A Christmas Romance
Julia Stonecypher
1994
The Man from Snowy River
Joanna Walker · (3 episodes)
1994
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Self
1994
Intimate Portrait
Self · (1 episode)
1993
Madonna: Truth or Dare
Self
1991
A Mom for Christmas
Amy Miller
1990
Timeless Tales: Rapunzel
Host
1990
AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Self
1990
Night of 100 Stars III
Self
1990
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self (archive footage)
1988
She's Having a Baby
Olivia Newton-John (uncredited)
1988
Le monde est à vous
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Sacrée soirée
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss
Herself
1985
Two of a Kind
Debbie
1983
Olivia Newton-John: In Concert
Self
1983
Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical
Herself
1982
Jogo da Vida
Self · (1 episode)
1981
Wetten, dass..?
Self · (1 episode)
1981
Solid Gold
Self · (1 episode)
1980
Xanadu
Kira
1980
America's Top 10
herself · (1 episode)
1980
Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights
Self
1980
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980
1980
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Self
1980
Grease Day USA
Self
1978
Grease
Sandy Olsson
1978
Olivia
Self
1978
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
Princess Hialeah / Musical Guest
1977
Only Olivia
Herself
1977
Please Turn the Page
Self · (1 episode)
1977
Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976
Self - Uncredited
1977
A Special: Olivia Newton-John
1976
Donny & Marie
Self · (1 episode)
1976
Rocky Mountain Christmas
Self
1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1975
1975
Numéro un
Self · (2 episodes)
1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self · (2 episodes)
1975
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974
1974
Sounds Like Les Dawson
1974
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self · (1 episode)
1972
Musikladen
Self · (1 episode)
1972
The Midnight Special
Host · (1 episode)
1972
Disco
Self · (3 episodes)
1971
Toomorrow
Olivia
1970
Sez Les
(1 episode)
1969
Unsere kleine Show
Self · (1 episode)
1969
Funny Things Happen Down Under
1965
Top of the Pops
(2 episodes)
1964
Top of the Pops
Self · (1 episode)
1964
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1963
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (1 episode)
1961
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
Today
Self · (1 episode)
1952