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How old was the multitalented Olivia Newton - John when she played the iconic role of Sandy Olsson inGrease ? Keep in mind that Hollywood was n’t exactly lush with teenaged doer back in 1978 . This was an era when 26 - class - sometime Sissy Spacek terrorized her high school classmates inCarrieand 39 - year - honest-to-god Dustin Hoffman played a wide-eyed - eyed graduate student inMarathon Man . Grease , which is now a bounteous source of memes due to its questionable ( and sometimes comical ) cast , keep the trend awake . Olivia Newton - John was a musical ace , and theGreaseproducers would n’t let a featherbrained affair like years prevent her from shining as Sandy .
InGrease’sopening scene , Olivia Newton - John impersonate a summertime love affair betweenSandy Olsson and Danny Zuko(John Travolta ) . Later arriving at Rydell High , Sandy is ticklish , naive , and pregnable . For these moments , it ’s essential that Sandy be played by an actress with convincing childlike quality , whichGrease ’s makeup and wardrobe departments accented masterfully by adorn Newton - John in Matilda - like rush and easy - imbue , minor attire . Over the line ofGrease , however , Newton - John portrays a girl who tardily becomes comfortable with the greaser gangs and Rydell mellow landscape , eventually becoming a rebel herself . To make Sandy ’s transformation convincing , Newton - John postulate to convey gender , ruggedness , and heresy . An actress equal to of both innocence and maturity was essential to the character , and Newton - John delivered .
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Olivia Newton - John was perhaps range more for her contribution totheGreasesoundtrackthan to the film . While she had only two acting credits to her name — the jumper cable in an hourlong Australian TV spinoff ( Funny Things Happen Down Under ) and a little - recognise UK - give rise sci - fi melodic ( Toomorrow)—Newton - John had already savour a successful tattle career as a Grammy - winner with a string ofBillboardTop Hot 100 Singles . Given all of this success and stardom , it come in as no surprisal that Olivia Newton - John was n’t quite the 17 - year - old girl she bring on screen . In fact , Newton - John was 29 years old during the filming ofGrease , making her a thumping 12 years older than her fiber .
What Olivia Newton-John Has Done Since Grease
Olivia Newton - John was a pa ace even before playing Sandy oppositeJohn Travolta inGreaseand her Hollywood breakthrough launched her into another kingdom of stardom . Her new image as a sex ikon prompted her to releaseTotally spicy , her 10th studio album and a deviation from her antecedently wholesome image . Having notch a Golden Globe nomination forGrease , Newton - John took her newfound performing talents to 1980’sXanaduas the lead in a musical phantasy alongside the illustrious Gene Kelly . She then release the treble - platinumPhysicalin 1981 , the most successful record album of her career . Two years later , she reunited with John Travolta in 1983’sTwo of a Kind . Despite a platinum soundtrack , however , the film was universally panned . Newton - John uphold to act as once in a while , hit 10 more film acting credits , but never in a role or movie nearly as impactful as the one that spawned a sequel and soon aGreaseTV show .
In all , Olivia Newton - John resign 26 studio album ( six certified gold in the U.S. , one platinum , one two-fold Pt ) along with 18 Billboard 200 - charting singles spanning from 1971 to 1998 . She headlined 17 tour , with her last derive to a close in 2013 . She act in 15 flick while also making a couple of tv set cameo and countless guest show . Many today may know Newton - John as the actress fromGrease , unaware that she was already a 29 - year - old Grammy winner by the film ’s 1978 acquittance . Newton - John has done a bit of everything throughout her career , from belt out No . 1 singles to becoming the representative for the Children ’s Health Environmental Coalition . Most , however , will remember Olivia Newton - John ina flying elevator car during the termination ofGrease , on the cusp of 30 , play a high school miss just trying to fit in .
Next : Grease 2 ’s Original Plan Ruined The First Movie ’s Magical Ending
