How old was Olivia Newton-John when she started Grease?

‘Grease’ Casting Director Reacts to Criticism the Actors Were Too Old: ‘It’s a Fantasy’

• The casting director behind says the movie was “better for” its use of adult actors playing high schoolers.
• In a new oral history of the classic 1978 movie musical published by on Wednesday, casting director Joel Thurm pointed out that Grease “is not a documentary” as he referenced the common criticism that none of the film’s cast members were actual teenagers at the time of filming.
• “People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,” Thurm said in the oral history, which covers how the original Chicago-based stage musical was adapted for the big screen.

“It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,” Thurm added. “The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.”, who starred as Danny Zuko in Grease, famously stood out as younger than much of the rest of Grease ‘s principal cast during filming in summer 1977 at age 23.

1. The late, who costarred as Sandy, was 29 at the time Grease was filmed;, who played Rizzo, was the principal cast’s oldest member at 33 during filming, according to a 2016 article about the production.
2. In The Guardian ‘s oral history, casting director Thurm added that “there wasn’t a question in my mind” that Grease would prove popular after its release in 1978.
3. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“The critics didn’t matter, since they forgot that audiences go to movies to have fun,” he told the outlet. “The timing was right as we were having a 50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade.” Following Newton-John’s in August 2022, Thurm recalled to PEOPLE that casting the star as Sandy was “very simple,” though the actress about taking the role.

• Olivia Newton-John and Didi Conn in Grease (1978).
• Paramount/Rso/Kobal/Shutterstock “John was already pre-set, and John asked me, ‘What do you think of Olivia?’ I said, ‘She’s wonderful.’ He said, ‘What do you think of her for Sandy? That’s a great idea.’ And once John said that, and that’s who John wanted, I stopped anything else,” he said at the time, later explaining that Newton-John “didn’t jump at the offer.” “She said, ‘Okay, I want to see a screen test with John and myself and then I’ll let you know if I want to do it,’ ” he recalled.

Thurm confessed this was a first for him, telling PEOPLE: “I think I’ve never heard of a case where an actor being offered a role said, ‘I want to see me before I say yes.’ But that’s how smart she was.” : ‘Grease’ Casting Director Reacts to Criticism the Actors Were Too Old: ‘It’s a Fantasy’

How old was Olivia in Grease 1?

Olivia Newton-John turned 29 while filming “Grease.” – Olivia Newton-John in 1978. Patrick Riviere/Getty Images The British-Australian singer-songwriter was more than 10 years older than her character while filming ” Grease,” When Newton-John was cast for ” Grease,” she had almost no acting experience but was already a bona fide pop star, with five No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, Newton-John died at 73 on August 8, 2022,

How old was John T in Grease?

Travolta was already famous by the time Grease was released, as his breakthrough hit Saturday Night Fever came out in 1977. John Travolta was 23 years old when he filmed the part of 18-year-old Danny Zuko.

Who was the youngest cast member in Grease?

The cast of ‘Grease’: Where are they now? Credit: Everett Collection Since its release in June of 1978, the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical has remained an enduring fixture of pop culture. The highest-grossing movie of the year, it also produced one of the best-selling albums of all time; a 1982 sequel starring and Maxwell Caulfield; a live television event, ; and the upcoming Paramount+ spin-offs and Summer Lovin’,

The story of high school sweethearts Danny Zuko () and Sandy Olsson () is a quintessential tale of teenage devotion set against the musical backdrop of the 1950s. After a whirlwind fling of “Summer Nights,” the pair assumes their time together is over, and that Sandy must return to Australia with her parents.

But, when her family decides to stay in America, Sandy is enrolled in Rydell High alongside Danny, who tries to play it cool in front of his gang of greaser friends — the T-Birds — causing friction between them. She quickly falls in with her own clique — the Pink Ladies —and the two groups dance and sing their way through the ups and downs of adolescent love. Credit: Everett Collection; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Before he donned Danny Zuko’s leather jacket, John Travolta was already a bona fide star thanks to his roles as Vinnie Barbarino on, Billy Nolan in (1976), and Tony Manero in (1977) — for which he received his first Academy Award nomination.

Following the juggernaut success of the film, Travolta’s next hit came with 1980’s, but then a string of disappointments followed, and the actor’s career hit a slump throughout the following decade. In 1989, however, things began to turn around with the success of Look Who’s Talking, costarring Kirstie Alley, but it was 1994’s, directed by, that truly sparked his career resurgence, earning him his second Oscar nomination in the process.

He has gone on to star in several hit films since, including (1995), (1997), and (1998), as well as a return to movie musicals with his performance as Edna Turnblad in the 2007 remake of, In 2012, Travolta reunited with Olivia Newton-John for their holiday album This Christmas, and, in 2016, he received his first Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Robert Shapiro in FX’s, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Already a when she was cast as good-girl-gone-bad Sandy, Olivia Newton-John’s career rose to greater heights after the movie became the biggest box office hit of 1978. Thanks to her soundtrack contributions “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights,” she became the second woman to have two singles in the Billboard top five at the same time.

In addition to the box office and Billboard success brought on by the musical, her performance in Grease also landed her a Golden Globe nomination. Inspired by her climactic transformation into “Bad Sandy,” Newton-John revamped her sound and image for her next album, Totally Hot, to add more of a Pink Ladies edge.

Her big screen follow-up, Xanadu — costarring — was a critical and commercial failure, but produced a hit soundtrack and a slew of top 20 singles, including “Magic,” which spent five weeks at No.1 on the charts. The movie musical was also where she met her first husband, Matt Lattanzi, and in 1986 gave birth to their daughter, Chloe Rose.

In 1981, she released Physical, the biggest album of her career. The risqué title track ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks, and its tongue-in-cheek, aerobics-inspired music video became an MTV staple. She went on to record 15 more studio albums, achieving a career total of 26, and selling over 100 million units worldwide.

In 1992, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and became a tireless advocate for cancer research throughout the rest of her life, founding the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Australia. In addition, she was “hopelessly devoted” to philanthropic works, including a stint as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic By the time she was cast as high school bad girl Rizzo, had already amassed an impressive list of stage and screen credits, including a starring turn opposite and in ‘ The Fortune (1975). After two brief attempts at sitcom stardom in the early-1980s, Channing re-teamed with Nicholson and Nichols (as well as ) for the film Heartburn, based on ‘s best-selling novel.

She continued to work onstage as well, eventually earning a Tony award for Best Actress in a Play for Peter Nichol’s A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, and nominations for her work in The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation, Four Baboons Adoring the Sun, The Lion in Winter, Pal Joey (for Best Actress in a Musical), and Other Dessert Cities,

In 1993, she reprised the role of Louisa “Ouisa” Kittredge for the film version of Six Degrees and received both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance. She worked steadily through the ’90s before joining the cast of the celebrated drama in 1999 — which brought her six Emmy nominations and one win. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage Kenickie, the T-Birds second-in-command, was brought to the screen by Jeff Conaway. Like his costar John Travolta, Conaway appeared in the original cast of Grease on Broadway, serving as an understudy for several of the roles, eventually taking over the part of Danny Zuko.

He followed his time on the Great White Way with guest star turns on a number of television shows before joining the cast of the Grease film and becoming a series regular on the sitcom, After three seasons on Taxi, and two Golden Globe nominations, Conaway left the hit show due to both creative differences with the producers and his struggles with drug abuse on set.

Throughout the rest of the ’80s and early-’90s, he primarily worked in guest spots on TV, and small supporting roles in films, until he booked the role of Zack Allan on from 1994 to 1999. Things took a dark turn in the mid-2000s when Conaway relapsed from substance abuse and turned up on reality TV as a star of the VH1 shows Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images, born Edith Bernstein, is the only cast member to appear in all three screen adaptations of Grease, having also appeared in 1982’s Grease 2, and Fox’s Grease: Live! (2016). After her turn as beauty school dropout Frenchy in the original 1978 film, she went on to star in television shows like The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, Benson, and the PBS series Shining Time Station — alongside, and, later, George Carlin.

Conn has appeared on series such as,, and, She competed on the hit British series Dancing on Ice in 2019, but was eliminated in week four. After her son David was diagnosed with autism at an early age, she has become an outspoken advocate for autism awareness, and, in 2008, she was named the National Celebrity Spokesperson for Autism Speaks.

She has been married to her second husband, David Shire, since 1982. Advertisement Advertisement Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Albert L. Ortega/WireImage The daughter of screenwriter Arnold Manoff, and Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress/director Lee Grant, Dinah Manoff played Marty Maraschino, the Pink Ladies’ biggest flirt. Following the success of Grease, and a yearlong stint on the ABC sitcom Soap in 1978, she went on to win a Tony award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play in 1980 for Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures,

She stayed busy for the rest of the ’80s, starring in the film version of the play, as well as parts in Ordinary People (1980) and the horror movie (1988). In 1988, she booked the lead role of Carol Weston in the hit NBC spin-off of, Empty Nest. She costarred on the sitcom alongside Richard Mulligan and Kristy McNichol, and was featured in every episode of its seven-season run.

Manoff has three children with her second husband, Arthur Mortell. After her oldest son, Dashiell, tragically died in a car accident in 2017, she began teaching acting at the Purdy Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, Wash., as a way to deal with her grief. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images Frenchy’s troublemaking boyfriend Doody was portrayed by Barry Pearl, who performed in the first national tour of Grease prior to joining the cast of the film. In the years since, he has built a long list of guest star credits on TV shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents,,, and Even Stevens. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images Kelly Ward brought the youngest member of the T-Birds, Putzie, to life in a role specifically created for the film. Grease wasn’t his first time working with costar John Travolta, as the two worked together on 1976’s made-for-television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,

Five years later, after a handful of TV appearances in shows like,, and Magnum, P.I., Ward retired from acting on-camera. He has gone on to become a voice director for Disney Television Animation, and a screenwriter for numerous cartoons, including the feature film All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996). From 1992 to 1996, he served as Vice President of Animation at MGM studios, and spent 23 years as an adjunct musical theater professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts.

Advertisement Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Tara Ziemba/Getty Images Jan, the nerdy, junk food-loving member of the Pink Ladies was played by Jamie Donnelly, who originated the part on Broadway, and was the only cast member to play the same role in both the stage musical and the film.

Prior to Grease, she also starred in the premiere New York and Los Angeles productions of The Rocky Horror Show alongside Tim Curry. After the success of the movie, Donnelly took an almost 20-year break from acting, working as a theatrical coach in the Los Angeles area. She returned to the profession in the late-’90s and has appeared on television in series like,, and, as well as the feature films Cyrus (2010) with and (2015) with,

Advertisement : The cast of ‘Grease’: Where are they now?

Did John and Olivia ever date?

Olivia Newton-John said she and John Travolta had ‘undeniable attraction’

They were the subject of persistent romance rumors after they steamed up screens in 1978’s “Grease.”But Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta never got physical while filming the movie musical, and instead went on to share a 44-year friendship that remained strictly platonic. In her 2018 autobiography Newton-John — who — revealed the reason she never hooked up with her hunky co-star, despite their “undeniable attraction” toward one another. “Yes, we really liked each other and there was an attraction, but we would never date because we were both involved with other people at the time,” the bubbly blond divulged in the tome. “Both of us have a loyalty streak that runs deep,” she added, insisting she would never cheat on a partner.

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta never got physical while filming “Grease,” and instead went on to share a 44-year friendship that remained platonic. They are pictured at left in 2020. The longtime pals are seen top right on the set of “Grease” in 1978, and bottom right in 1983.

1. Getty Images The pair steamed up screens in “Grease,” and their chemistry crossed over into real life — but they never acted on their flirtations.
2. Redferns Still, the pair enjoyed a strong flirtation, with Newton-John going on to recall her amorous audition alongside Travolta.
3. John came out to meet me.

Our eyes met. When we walked inside the room together, it was magic, and everyone saw it,” she cooed. “They couldn’t deny this kind of chemistry.” Their fondness for one another only intensified over the course of the two-month shoot, with the Australian beauty becoming enamored by her co-star’s kindness.

1. Newton-John divulged that Travolta purposely messed up a scene so that they could shoot it again because he believed that she could “do better.” “He said: ‘Sorry I messed up.
2. Liv, I did that on purpose because I don’t want them to use that take.
3. I know you can do better,’ ” she recalled in the memoir.

“I had great love and support from him and the feeling was mutual. I would be forever grateful for his concern.” “John came out to meet me. Our eyes met. When we walked inside the room together, it was magic, and everyone saw it,” she cooed. “They couldn’t deny this kind of chemistry.” CBS via Getty Images Newton-John also wrote about filming the final scene of “Grease,” where her character, Sandy, shows off her,

• There were gasps, catcalls and a lot of whistling,” she penned, before detailing Travolta’s reaction to her eye-catching ensemble.
• John was filming the song ‘Sandy’ and I strutted on set.
• He stopped singing mid-note, as his head jerked up and his eyes popped.
• Tell me more, tell me more,’ he shouted.

We laughed so hard. It was exactly the reaction I wanted,” Newton-John wistfully wrote. Meanwhile, the superstar claimed that Travolta told her on set: “Liv, it’s every guy’s dream to have you as his girlfriend.” Tell me more! Newton-John dished on Travolta’s reaction after he saw her in a sexy black ensemble she donned for the film’s final scene.

• CBS via Getty Images In her book, Newton-John wrote that Travolta later told her: “It almost happened between us a few times, but it didn’t.
• Sometimes life just offers you the wrong timing.
• We had to leave it as dear friends.” Indeed, the pair enjoyed a friendship for the ages, frequently appearing together on red carpets and reuniting for “Grease” anniversaries.

The pair are pictured together in 2006. They frequently appeared together on red carpets and at “Grease” anniversary events. AP In 2018, Travolta told magazine that the huge success of their flick had helped them stay connected. “When you share that kind of meteoric success — and nothing has been able to exceed it— you share a bond,” he stated.

1. I’ve been through her having a child, getting divorced, losing her sister.
2. She’s been through my getting married, having children.
3. It’s wonderful and full of shared memories.” Following Newton-John’s death, Travolta was the first A-lister to to his beloved pal.
4. My dearest Olivia,” he emotionally wrote on Instagram.

“You made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. “We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John.” : Olivia Newton-John said she and John Travolta had ‘undeniable attraction’

Did John Travolta love Olivia Newton-John?

As Sandy and Danny, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta’s onscreen romance in Grease is one of the most iconic in film history. But did their undeniable chemistry ever spill over into real-life? Watch above: Olivia Newton-John looks back on her incredible life Stream the world’s best reality, entertainment and true crime shows for free on 7Bravo on 7plus >> Travolta shared a moving social media post about Newton-John following her passing on August 8, US time. The entertainer died peacefully aged 73 at her ranch in Southern California surrounded by family and friends. Signing his tribute as “Your Danny, your John!”, the actor told Newton-John that he was was “yours from the first moment I saw you”. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta at the Grease party at Paramount Studios in 1978 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Brad Elterman / FilmMagic While the pair never officially dated, the pair have made no secret of their feelings for one another. “I think we love each other and when you love someone you stay in touch,” Travolta said of his co-star. However Grease co-star Didi Conn – who played Frenchie – maintains that it was no secret that Travolta was secretly infatuated with Newton-John. “Oh yeah,” Conn told Daily Mail. “What was so much fun was that most of us were older than the characters we were playing so we just stayed in character all day long.” She also shared details of a little-known kiss that was filmed as part of an alternate ending for Grease, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in England during the week of release of the film Grease in September 1978. Credit: Mirrorpix / Getty Images “Randal Kleiser, the director, thought: ‘Maybe I should make an alternative ending’, and they fly up into the sky and instead of looking back, Danny looks at Sandy and pulls her closer to him and gives her the juiciest kiss and Olivia,” she added. “You see for a moment she’s surprised and then she responds. It’s juicy and it’s great. “They weren’t acting in that moment, it was like he had his chance and he was going to take it. It was real, it really was.” Newton-John explained that the timing was never right for romance. “We were both with other people when we were filming,” Newton-John said in 2018. “I think, respectfully, it just didn’t happen.” John Travolta kisses Olivia Newton-John in a scene from the film Two Of A Kind in 1983. Credit: Archive Photos / Getty Images If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your, To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide, She added: “I think it kept the tension there and the chemistry. It might have been a real disaster had we decided to date, or we had a falling out or something.” In 2021, Newton-John opened up about her first kiss with Travolta on the set of Grease – recalling the “exciting” moment. “It was at the beach – actually the opening scene of the movie,” she told Us Weekly, “It was a beautiful day. We were playing around in the water, and I don’t really remember exactly, but it was a very lovely day and an exciting moment because it was the start of the film, although everything was kind of out of order, but we did that. ‘I think we love each other and when you love someone you stay in touch,’ Travolta said of his co-star. Credit: RB / Redferns “That was the first time we had kissed.” After Grease, Travolta said they remained in each other’s lives forever. “We were together not that long ago, about three months ago, and we text each other all the time,” he said in 2019. “It’s wonderful. If I go to see her in her show, we go backstage and hang out, and I watch the show and all that. “If I go to see her personally, we usually have dinner and catch up. And recently we’ve been talking about trying to do something together.” John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Credit: Gregg DeGuire / WireImage Newton-John described Travolta as a “lovely, sweet man”. She added: “And he made all my acting experiences really easy. He was very thoughtful and encouraged me if he thought I wasn’t doing a good enough job.” In this tribute to Newton-John following her passing, Travolta spoke of his love for her. “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. “Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! “Your Danny, your John!” Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You – Part 1 airs on Channel 7 and 7plus Tuesday 9 August 9.10pm Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You – Part 2, airs on Channel 7 and 7plus Wednesday 10 August 9.00pm If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your, To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide,

Why was the Grease cast so old?

Grease casting director FINALLY reveals why stars were too old Published: 18:41 BST, 7 April 2023 | Updated: 21:08 BST, 7 April 2023

• It’s a question that has vexed fans of the movie Grease for years: Why are the main actors so much older than the high schoolers they are portraying?
• The film, which featured leads and the, was released in 1978 but was set at a Los Angeles–area high school exactly two decades earlier.
• Travolta was actually one of the younger members of the cast, as he was still in his early 20s, while several of the major supporting actors were well into their 30s despite playing youths in their late teens.
• However, a new oral history of the classic musical that was published by this week is shedding new light on the film’s unorthodox casting.
• Grease’s casting director Joel Thurm, who would been pivotal to assembling the final cast, has finally answered the question.

Clearing it up: The casting director for Grease has spoken out about the ages of the film’s primary cast after fans have puzzled over why they were so much older than their high school characters for years; Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta seen in Grease (1978) Ballpark figure: According to casting director Joel Thurm, the film ‘is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy.’ He said the actors just need to look about the same age as each other; (L–R) Didi Conn, Dinah Manoff, Stockard Channing and Jamie Donnelly

1. According to him, using older actors was a completely intentional choice on the creative team’s part.
2. Thurm pushed back on common criticisms of the actors’ ages, noting that the stylized comedy is ‘not a documentary.’
3. ‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,’ he clarified.

‘It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,’ Thurm explained. ‘The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.’

• The choice to eschew strict realism meant that Travolta and his costar Michael Tucci, who was eight years older than him, could both sport the kind of five o’clock shadows that most high school boys can only dream of growing.
• Principal photography on Grease commenced in the summer of 1977, the year before the film was released, and Travolta — who played Danny Zuko — was already 23 at the time.
• Newton-John — who was six years older than her co-lead, which was reportedly a source of concern for her — would have been around 29 at the time of filming when she played the visiting Australian student Sandy Olsson.
• Tucci, who played a member Sonny LaTierri, a member of Danny’s T-Birds gang, was over 30 by the time shooting began.
• ‘By the time the film came around, I was in my early 30s and too old for the role,’ Tucci admitted to The Guardian.

Mismatch? Travolta was among the youngest at 23, while Newton-John was older at 29. She reportedly worried about the age difference Nailed it: Michael Tucci (top R) was one of the oldest and over 30, which he thought meant he wouldn’t work for the film, though he scored a role thanks to his presence in the stage musical Mature men: All of the film’s male stars were considerably older than high school boys and sported five o’clock shadows most high schoolers could only dream of growing

1. But after the casting team heard that he had been featured in the stage production of the musical, he secured an audition and still got the job.
2. Among the principal cast, Stockard Channing’s Rizzo was the oldest, as she was 33 during filming.
3. Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, recalled bonding with her costars and putting their true ages behind them to get into character.

‘Once we got our makeup on, I was Frenchy and we all called each other by our characters’ names. That really helped because I was 27 at the time, and there were a few others there who were older than that, so this gave us a licence to be goofy and crazy and horny,’ she explained.

‘It was all the things that teenagers in the ’50s would be.’ Jeff Conaway, who played Danny’s close friend Kenickie, would have been around 27 when shooting the film. He suffered from drug abuse throughout the 1980s and 2000s, and he died from pneumonia and sepsis in 2011. One of the older looking actors in the film, the antagonist Leo ‘Crater-Face’ Balmudo — nicknamed for his acne scars — would have been around 30 when production started.

He died in 1994 of complications from AIDS. Although the film initially received mixed reviews from critics, audiences didn’t seem to mind and turned out in droves to see Grease. ‘I knew it was going to be a hit — there wasn’t a question in my mind. The critics didn’t matter, since they forgot that audiences go to movies to have fun,’ Thurm said.

‘The timing was right as we were having a ’50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade. ‘I love going on YouTube now and watching flashmobs still performing songs from the film around the globe,’ he added. Instant success: Casting director Thurm wasn’t only unconcerned about the cast’s ages, but he ‘knew it was going to be a hit,’ as the film coincided with a wave of ’50s nostalgia Saying goodbye: Travolta paid tribute to Olivia and referenced their Grease roles after her death from cancer on August 8, 2022 Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, after she suffered a recurrence of breast cancer in 2017.

By the time it was discovered, it had metastasized and spread to her lower back and bones. Travolta paid tribute to her after her death with a heartbreaking note posted to Instagram. ‘My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better, he wrote.

How old was Olivia when she died?

Grease icon Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy Olsson in the popular movie, sadly passed away at the age of 73 on August 8 at her home in Santa Ynez, California Olivia Newton-John passed away in August 2022 ( Image: Getty) Olivia Newton-John, who would have celebrated her 74th birthday today (September 26), became a household name for her role as Sandy Olsson in popular 1970s film Grease, alongside heartthrob John Travolta.

Before she landed the role as Sandy, Olivia had numerous UK number one singles, including If Not For You, and she also competed in the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK in 1974. After the success of Box Office hit Grease, she went on to star in Xanadu and Two Of A Kind. Following her triumphant music and acting career, Olivia sadly passed away at her home in California at the age of 73 on August 8, 2022.

But what was Olivia’s cause of death and who has inherited her net worth? Here’s everything you need to know.

How old was Cha Cha when she played in Grease?

This week marks the 40th anniversary of Grease, the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical tribute to 1950s rock n’ roll Americana. The Randal Kleiser directed film, which cemented stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as movie icons forever, became the most successful live-action movie musical all of all time upon its release, and is still known by movie fans the world over. Grease was a phenomenon when it was released, becoming the biggest musical blockbuster of the decade, and four of its songs became huge Billboard hits. The songs “Grease” by Frankie Valli, “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “You’re the One That I Want,” and “Summer Nights” all became top-10 hits, but only “Summer Nights” originated in the original Broadway show. Just as several songs were added to the soundtrack specifically for the movie, many songs from the original play were excised from the final film except as background songs, most notably, “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” “Those Magic Changes,” and “Freddy My Love.” Fox’s Grease Live in 2016 restored most of these songs to the show. A very young Michael Biehn, best known to sci-fi fans for his roles in James Cameron movies (such as Kyle Reese in The Terminator, Corporal Hicks from Aliens, and Lt. Coffey in The Abyss ), made his film debut in Grease in an uncredited cameo as a Rydell student. He gets punched in the stomach in the basketball court scene.4. A freaky coincidence links Grease and the passing of Elvis In an eerie coincidence, the last scene filmed for the movie was the scene where Rizzo and the Pink Ladies sing “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” in Rizz’s bedrom during the sleepover. In the scene, Stockard Channing sings a verse about Elvis Presley and looks lovingly at an Elvis photo on her wall. In the play, “Greased Lightning” was Kenickie’s signature song, and thus it was originally supposed to be sung by actor Jeff Conaway. But John Travolta ultimately convinced the movie’s producers to let his character of Danny Zuko sing it instead. It’s said that Conaway was not super thrilled about that change of plans.6. Olivia Newton-John dressed Sandy herself in that scene Sandy’s super tight black pants she wore in “You’re the One That I Want” actually belonged to Olivia Newton-John herself. They were actual vintage pants from the ’50s, and she had to be sewn into them when her zipper broke on set during filming.7. Danny Zuko was almost played by the Fonz via GIPHY If you think today is just a huge nostalgia fest for the ’80s, it doesn’t have anything on the ’70s, which were filled with with huge pop culture hits based around 1950s nostalgia. Ever wonder why there’s a weird blurred out poster in the scene where Sandy and Danny meet up at the Frosty Palace? It’s because it was a Coca-Cola advertisement, and Paramount had made a deal with Pepsi for product placement in the film, and the Coke poster had to go. The casting of grown-ass adults as high school students is a longstanding tradition in Hollywood, but Grease is especially shameless in this regard. John Travolta was 23 at the time of filming, Olivia Newton-John was 29, and Stockard Channing was 33. Annette Charles, who played bad girl Cha Cha DiGregorio, was 30. Just how huge was Grease ? If you adjust for inflation, it would make $705 million in today’s dollars, more than modern mega blockbusters like Black Panther and Avengers, The budget was a very low $6 millon, which was actually low even by ’70s standards. Do you have a favorite memory surrounding Grease ? If so, be sure to let us know down below in the comments. Images: Paramount Pictures

What were the ages of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease?

‘Grease’ was a huge hit in 1978 and is still popular today – ‘Grease’ was a box office success and Newton-John and Travolta received rave reviews from the film critics. Travolta was 22 years old during the filming of ‘Grease’ and Newton-John was 28 at the time the movie was being made,

The soundtrack to the movie included hits that Newton-John performed like ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’, ‘You’re the One That I Want’ and ‘Summer Nights.’ Everyone loves “You’re the One That I Want” and “Summer Nights,” and rightly so — but no ‘Grease’ song was more iconically Olivia Newton-John than the late legend’s lovesick turn on “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” https://t.co/4FioClF6xx — Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) August 8, 2022 Travolta was already well known to US audiences, but ‘Grease’ was Newton-John’s first taste of success in America.

‘Grease’ catapulted her into fame and she proved she was more than just a one-hit wonder with films like ‘Xanadu’ and ‘Two of a Kind’, but more importantly as a singer. She wanted to change her image as a teacher’s pet and released her studio album ‘Totally Hot’ in 1978 with her song ‘A Little More Love’, which reached no.3 on the Pop Chart.

What year is Grease set in?

Plot – In the summer of 1958, local boy Danny Zuko and vacationing Australian Sandy Olsson meet at the beach and fall in love. When the summer comes to an end, Sandy frets that they may never meet again, but Danny tells her that their love is “only the beginning”.

1. At the start of the seniors’ term at Rydell High School, Danny resumes his role as leader of the T-Birds greaser gang consisting of Doody, Sonny, Putzie, and his best friend Kenickie.
2. Sandy’s parents remain in America and enroll Sandy at Rydell where she meets greaser girl clique the Pink Ladies consisting of Frenchy, Marty, Jan and leader Rizzo.

Danny and Sandy recount their brief romance to their respective groups, Sandy recalling a romantic summer and Danny implying a more physical experience. When Sandy finally says Danny’s name, Rizzo arranges a surprise reunion at a pep rally where Sandy meets Tom, a jock, and Kenickie unveils his new used car, Greased Lightnin’, which he plans on street racing after a restoration.

Caught between his feelings and his bad-boy reputation, Danny snubs Sandy in front of his gang and she becomes upset. At a Pink Ladies pajama party, Sandy falls ill from drinking, trying a cigarette, and having her ears pierced by Frenchy, while Rizzo, after mocking Sandy’s wholesome and chaste personality, departs for sex with Kenickie in his car, during which their condom breaks; they are disturbed by Leo, leader of the rival gang, the Scorpions, and his girlfriend Cha-Cha.

After the slumber party comes to an end, Sandy realizes she still loves Danny after all. The next day, Danny apologizes to Sandy for having brushed her off the night earlier and, with Coach Calhoun’s help, becomes a runner and successfully wins her back from Tom, but their friends crash their date, and Kenickie and Rizzo break up after an argument.

1. After a disastrous beauty class leaves Frenchy with candy-pink hair, she reluctantly decides to return to Rydell to complete her high-school education.
2. During the school dance, broadcast live on National Bandstand and hosted by DJ Vince Fontaine, Rizzo and Kenickie spite each other by bringing Leo and Cha-Cha as their dates.

In a chaotic hand jive contest, Danny and Sandy dance well, but just before the winners are announced, Sonny pulls Sandy away and Cha-Cha cuts in to win with Danny, as Sandy storms out. Danny tries to make it up to Sandy by taking her to a drive-in theater, but a more direct and pushy advance causes Sandy to flee in a huff.

• Rizzo fears she is pregnant after missing a period and confides in Marty, who tells Sonny, who inadvertently spreads the rumor to the apparent father Kenickie, though Rizzo denies it to him.
• On race day, Kenickie is concussed by his own car door, so Danny takes the wheel, winning the race after Leo spins out.

Sandy, watching from afar and rejoicing for Danny’s victory, concludes she still loves him and enlists Frenchy’s help in changing her attitude and looks to impress him. On the last day of school, Rizzo finds she is not pregnant and reunites with Kenickie.

Was Rizzo pregnant in Grease?

Personality – Rizzo is sassy, sarcastic, tough, and has a dark personality. Despite enjoying the companionship of men, for example Danny and Leo, and even being in a serious relationship with Kenickie, Rizzo shuns the idea that men are special, as when she chides Sandy for traveling all the way to the seaside “for some guy.” Rizzo has a meaner side to her, for example, She was seen kicking Patty Simcox and Sandy In Summer Nights,

• Rizzo can get jealous sometimes; this is evident when she dances with Leo Balmudo while Kenickie danced with Charlene Digregorio.
• Upon learning that she might be pregnant, she emotionally cut all ties with Kenickie.
• However, immediately after, her smug expression saddened, as she realized that she’d pushed away the guy who actually loved her and realised she actually loved him.

Later, she revealed a softer side of herself. Sandy offered to help, but initially Rizzo balked at the offer. Seeing how mean she’d been to Sandy, who was purer than she herself was, she relented and thanked Sandy, both smiling gratefully. At the end of the school year, a carnival is held; Rizzo is seen on a Ferris wheel, revealing to Kenickie that she isn’t pregnant.

Who turned down the role of Danny in Grease?

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures) Henry Winkler has over 150 acting credits in his career, but regardless of what generation you’re from, he will always be The Fonz from Happy Days first and foremost. It’s not only his most iconic role, it’s one of the most iconic roles in the history of television, but it caused Winkler a number of problems in his career, including causing him to turn down the lead in Grease, the movie that made John Travolta a star.

• In a recent appearance on CNN Henry Winkler reflected on his career.
• It turns out that following his run as Arthur Fozerelli, aka The Fonz, Winkler had serious trouble finding work because he was so closely associated with the character.
• Winkler explained It was so bad that not only could I not find work, but I was sitting at my desk at Paramount and I literally thought ‘am I ever going to find anything with as much impact as the Fonz? How will I know? Will anybody ever ask me? I’m not getting any offers.’ A look at Henry Winkler’s filmography shows just how bad it got for him, during the decade that Happy Days was on the air, and the years immediately after, he did very little else, and most of what he did do was appear as The Fonz on the various shows that spun off from Happy Days,

The only role of any size he had outside was his co-starring role alongside a young Michael Keaton in Night Shift, a movie directed by Winkler’s Happy Days castmate Ron Howard. Fonzie had become such a force of nature they almost changed the name of Happy Days to be about him.

It’s not a shock that people in Hollywood had trouble seeing him in another role. However, CNN interviewer Chris Wallace pointed out that there was another significant role that Winkler was offered, and turned down You do get offered a part. You get offered the part of the lead in Grease over John Travolta, before John Travolta, and you turned it down.

Are you a damned fool? Grease came out in 1978, smack in the middle of Happy Days ‘ run on TV. It’s blindingly obvious to see why Henry Winkler would be offered the role of Danny Zuko. The leather jacket clad biker was such a similar role to the Fonz that it was obvious Winkler could play the part.

1. And this is exactly why the actor turned it down.
2. Most actors hate to be typecast.
3. One of the great things about acting is the ability to inhabit a variety of different roles.
4. Winkler didn’t want to play a role similar to Fonzie because he didn’t want to be typecast.
5. Unfortunately, Winkler agrees that he was a damned fool for turning the role down, because he didn’t realize at the time that the typecasting ship had already sailed.

Winkler said Yes, I am. I only realized years afterward. I thought I’ve played the Fonz, I don’t want to do it again. I’m going to cement, it has already happened. I’m already typecast. I should have just shut up, and had a really good time making that movie.

Now, I go home, I say ‘no’ and I have a Diet Coke. John Travolta goes home and has done the movie and buys a plane. Hollywood is full of “what if” stories that have come from actors turning down roles. Will Smith could have been in The Matrix, Mel Gibson was almost James Bond, In the end those careers turned out ok, and while Henry Winkler never became a massive movie star after Happy Days, he built a successful career both in front of the camera as well as behind it that he can certainly be proud of.

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian. Armchair Imagineer. Epcot Stan. Future Club 33 Member.

Where did they film Grease?

Grease Locations – Grease was shot in various locations across the Los Angeles area, from the lively South Bay to the charming Silverlake neighborhood. Much of the production was filmed on-site, including exterior shots of Rydell High, taken at Venice High School, Huntington Park High School, and John Marshall High School.

• The backdrop for these locations offers a unique look into different parts of Los Angeles.
• Venice offers stunning architecture with its art-deco facade, while Huntington Park provides a vibrant landscape with its school interiors and sports fields.
• Paying homage to classic musicals such as Guys and Dolls, Kleiser opted for a combination of both on-location shoots and Paramount studio sets to bring Grease’s fantasy alive.

Although some scenes were shot at the studio out of necessity, most were filmed around various places within Los Angeles. A trip to these locations would be worthwhile for any Grease fan looking to explore their favorite movie in more detail. Each spot allows viewers to experience the nostalgic atmosphere brought alive by the iconic musical.

How old was Harry when he dated Olivia?

Olivia Wilde and Harry Styles’ relationship sparked headlines amid their 10-year age gap.Other women like Demi Moore and Kim Kardashian have also faced one-sided backlash for dating younger men.The public outcry has less to do with the age gap, and more to do with traditional, sexist gender norms.

It wasn’t until Olivia Wilde started dating Harry Styles that she faced our culture’s wrath. The 38-year-old “Don’t Worry Darling” director became reduced to a “thirsty cougar” or “predator,” while Styles, 28, remained relatively unscathed from the backlash.

1. The public outcry was so pervasive that it prompted both stars to speak out against the “cruelty.” This one-sided reaction, experts say, likely isn’t a result of the age difference (Wilde and her former fiancé Jason Sudeikis, eight years her senior, have a similar age gap to she and Styles).
2. It’s who is leading the age gap.

Tabloids crowned Demi Moore the queen of “toyboys” after her 6-year marriage to Ashton Kutcher. More recently, TikTok star Addison Rae ‘s mother, Sheri Nicole Easterling, 43, received misogynistic hate after her red carpet debut with 26-year-old rapper Yung Gravy.

Ultimately, it’s the women who bear the brunt of the criticism in these heterosexual, age-gap romances (as depicted by the derogatory label “cougar,” painting older women as wild animals on the prowl). In contrast, Leonardo DiCaprio and Scott Disick publicly exhibited a pattern of dating young, sometimes teenage, women, and were called out only in recent months.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s breakup,: Demi Lovato’s ’29’ and criticism around relationship age gaps “It’s women who always bear that social attack and backlash,” says Janet Morrison, a certified sex and relationship coach. “Whether it’s older or younger – she wants the sugar daddy and the money.

1. Or if it’s a woman dating a younger man, it’s all about the sex.
2. She’s ‘preying’ on someone because she can’t get someone her own age.” Part of this mistreatment may stem from unfamiliarity, Morrison acknowledges.
3. Despite the prevalence of women-led age gap relationships in Hollywood ( Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson ), this dynamic is relatively uncommon.

In most cases, however, it’s a classic example of the way we disparage women for their choices, especially when they don’t align with what we view as “traditional.” ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ review: At least Florence Pugh sparkles in buzzy but flat retro thriller ‘Don’t Worry Darling’: The drama surrounding Harry Styles, Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde, explained

Did John Travolta attend Olivia Newton-John’s funeral?

John Travolta absent at Olivia Newton-John’s memorial : The real reason why | Woman’s Day.

Did John Travolta sing in Grease?

We all have fond memories of Danny Zuko prancing around the hit 1978 film Grease, But now that 40 years have gone by, fans are dying to know: Did John Travolta really sing in the movie? The answer? Yes. John, now 64, sang alongside Olivia Newton-John and the rest of the cast in the iconic blockbuster.

• However, he wasn’t always supposed to sing “Greased Lightnin’.” According to a recent article written by Variety, John stole the part from one of his co-stars.
• The solo was supposed to go to Jeff Conaway (who played Kenickie), but it ultimately went to John.
• I wanted the number,” John admitted.
• And because I had clout, I could get the number.” During the film, John also sang songs including “Summer Nights,” “You’re the One That I Want,” “Sandy,” and “We Got Together,” which is interesting since his role almost went to Happy Days star Henry Winkler,

We wonder if Henry would have sung as well as John did. In 2007, we got to see John sing again as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, We’re sure John would be open to a reunion since he made a reference to Grease at the 2017 Grammy Awards while introducing country pair Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood,

Are the cast of Grease still friends?

What relationship do Olivia Newton-John and John-Travolta have today? – The Grease co-stars were still very close up until Olivia’s death in August 2022, and even famously reunited in LA in 2002 to sing their classic hit ‘You’re The One That I Want’. Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta attend a ‘Grease’ 40th Anniversary party at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on August 15, 2018 in Beverly Hills. Picture: Getty John Travolta and daughter recreate Grease dance in Super Bowl ad “I saw him and I was hobbling around the dinner table because I was having trouble sitting down. And he was concerned,” adding that he “called her up with some ideas of people to see.” John Travolta spoke very highly of Olivia: “She’s always been an incredible human being and an inspiration to millions,” he said after her cancer diagnosis. Olivia Newton-John talks about living with cancer

How old is Sandy in Grease?

The students at Rydell High were incredibly lively, but they clearly weren’t teenagers. How old were John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John at the time? It’s evident that the cast of Grease isn’t the same age as the characters they’re playing, so how old were Oliva Newton-John and John Travolta when they played Sandy Olsson and Danny Zuko? In 1978, Grease immediately rose to fame and became the highest-grossing musical film up to that point.

Its powerful combination of energetic music, impressive choreography, and 1950s nostalgia made it an instant addition to the pop culture hall of fame, where it has stayed for more than four decades. Curiously, the chemistry between the main characters – Sandy and Danny – helped the audience overlook one major detail: the actors were far older than their hand-jiving teenage counterparts.

The age of the characters in Grease plays an important part in the movie, with the two cliques of students at Rydell High School experiencing the highs and lows of their senior year. The girls-only Pink Ladies gang loves pajama parties and goes crazy over Sandy’s new lover, while the boys-only T-Birds greaser gang is crazy about cars, leather jackets, and girls (perhaps a little bit too much).

This immaturity is why Grease sometimes gives terrible life advice and also why events like the school dance matter so much to the characters. Sometimes it’s hard to look past how the 18-year-old Sonny was played by a 31-year old Michael Tucci, and how Rizzo, who was also supposed to be 18 in the movie, was played by a 33-year-old Stockard Channing.

Sandy and Danny look closer to their supposed age, but still, one of the things most people don’t know about Grease is that Olivia Newton-John turned 29 while playing the 17-year-old Sandy Olsson. Meanwhile, the greaser boy she describes to the Pink Ladies as “he was sweet, just turned 18” actually was 23 when shooting the movie, with John Travolta no less than six years younger than his co-star while playing Danny Zuko. It’s not like Grease was the first or the last movie to have have a cast far older than the characters they’re playing. It’s just that general audiences are becoming increasingly more aware of this motif, which is still as popular nowadays with shows like 13 Reasons Why casting older actors as teenagers,

This is more of a convenient practice to every production rather than a recurring oversight, given that working with adults relieves the directors and producers from more complicated child labor laws and problems like the actors growing too fast. For Grease, it meant having an incredibly talented cast that turned the movie into a classic.

Grease has become such a beloved piece of cinema that the older-looking cast is normally seen as a distinctive feature instead of a flaw. The 1982 sequel went completely under the radar, but the original’s legacy is still as strong as ever. In 2019, Paramount was looking to make a Grease prequel called Summer Loving, and a spinoff called Rydell High is coming to HBO Max,

Are Sandy and Danny together in real life?

Newton-John and Travolta kissed at a “Grease” party that year. – Newton-John and Travolta at a Paramount party. Brad Elterman/Getty Images While attending a party for “Grease” at Paramount Studios the year of the film’s premiere, the actors gave a glimpse of their on-screen chemistry by sharing a kiss. Though the actors stayed in character as Sandy and Danny on set, their romance was limited to the script.

In her autobiography, Newton-John recalls having a mutual “attraction” with Travolta but explains that they were both committed to other people. “The truth is, it never went beyond friendship with John despite the fact that the fans wanted for us to become a couple in real life. We left the making out to Sandy and Danny, but the deep feeling of sisterly love I have for John continues to this day,” she writes, per The Sunday Post,

Decades after they shot the film, Newton-John said “Grease” benefited from the fact that the actors never got together in real life. “I think it kept the tension there and the chemistry. It might have been a real disaster had we decided to date or we had a falling out or something.” she reportedly said on a 2018 episode of Mamamia podcast,

How much older was Olivia Newton-John than John Travolta in Grease?

Grease fans have finally got closure on why the cast are so much older than highschoolers (Picture: Shutterstock) Finally, Grease fans have been given an answer as to why the principal cast are so much older than the high school students they are portraying.

1. Released in 1978 and starring John Travolta and Dame Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy, the classic film followed the teenagers’ love story as it unfolded against the backdrop of Rydell High School.
2. While the movie has faced a spate of criticism for being ‘problematic’ in recent years, one element many viewers have struggled to get over is the age of the actors.

Most of the lead stars were in their 20s and 30s while filming Grease with Travolta aged 23 and Newton-John aged 29, despite playing teenagers. However, casting director Joel Thurm has at long last explained why older actors were used, stressing that it was totally intentional. The majority of the cast were in their 20s and 30s despite playing teenagers in the 1978 film (Picture: CBS) Speaking to The Guardian, he said: ‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy. ‘It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens.’ He added: ‘The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.’ Well, that’s that then. According to casting director Joel Thurm, casting older actors was planned (Picture: CBS) Sandy star Newton-John died ‘peacefully’ at her ranch in Southern California aged 73 last August, surrounded by family and friends. Travolta led tributes to the late icon on Instagram, sharing a throwback photo of his former co-star.

Why was the Grease cast so old?

Grease casting director FINALLY reveals why stars were too old Published: 18:41 BST, 7 April 2023 | Updated: 21:08 BST, 7 April 2023

• It’s a question that has vexed fans of the movie Grease for years: Why are the main actors so much older than the high schoolers they are portraying?
• The film, which featured leads and the, was released in 1978 but was set at a Los Angeles–area high school exactly two decades earlier.
• Travolta was actually one of the younger members of the cast, as he was still in his early 20s, while several of the major supporting actors were well into their 30s despite playing youths in their late teens.
• However, a new oral history of the classic musical that was published by this week is shedding new light on the film’s unorthodox casting.
• Grease’s casting director Joel Thurm, who would been pivotal to assembling the final cast, has finally answered the question.

Clearing it up: The casting director for Grease has spoken out about the ages of the film’s primary cast after fans have puzzled over why they were so much older than their high school characters for years; Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta seen in Grease (1978) Ballpark figure: According to casting director Joel Thurm, the film ‘is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy.’ He said the actors just need to look about the same age as each other; (L–R) Didi Conn, Dinah Manoff, Stockard Channing and Jamie Donnelly

1. According to him, using older actors was a completely intentional choice on the creative team’s part.
2. Thurm pushed back on common criticisms of the actors’ ages, noting that the stylized comedy is ‘not a documentary.’
3. ‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,’ he clarified.

‘It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,’ Thurm explained. ‘The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.’

• The choice to eschew strict realism meant that Travolta and his costar Michael Tucci, who was eight years older than him, could both sport the kind of five o’clock shadows that most high school boys can only dream of growing.
• Principal photography on Grease commenced in the summer of 1977, the year before the film was released, and Travolta — who played Danny Zuko — was already 23 at the time.
• Newton-John — who was six years older than her co-lead, which was reportedly a source of concern for her — would have been around 29 at the time of filming when she played the visiting Australian student Sandy Olsson.
• Tucci, who played a member Sonny LaTierri, a member of Danny’s T-Birds gang, was over 30 by the time shooting began.
• ‘By the time the film came around, I was in my early 30s and too old for the role,’ Tucci admitted to The Guardian.

Mismatch? Travolta was among the youngest at 23, while Newton-John was older at 29. She reportedly worried about the age difference Nailed it: Michael Tucci (top R) was one of the oldest and over 30, which he thought meant he wouldn’t work for the film, though he scored a role thanks to his presence in the stage musical Mature men: All of the film’s male stars were considerably older than high school boys and sported five o’clock shadows most high schoolers could only dream of growing

1. But after the casting team heard that he had been featured in the stage production of the musical, he secured an audition and still got the job.
2. Among the principal cast, Stockard Channing’s Rizzo was the oldest, as she was 33 during filming.
3. Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, recalled bonding with her costars and putting their true ages behind them to get into character.

‘Once we got our makeup on, I was Frenchy and we all called each other by our characters’ names. That really helped because I was 27 at the time, and there were a few others there who were older than that, so this gave us a licence to be goofy and crazy and horny,’ she explained.

1. ‘It was all the things that teenagers in the ’50s would be.’ Jeff Conaway, who played Danny’s close friend Kenickie, would have been around 27 when shooting the film.
2. He suffered from drug abuse throughout the 1980s and 2000s, and he died from pneumonia and sepsis in 2011.
3. One of the older looking actors in the film, the antagonist Leo ‘Crater-Face’ Balmudo — nicknamed for his acne scars — would have been around 30 when production started.

He died in 1994 of complications from AIDS. Although the film initially received mixed reviews from critics, audiences didn’t seem to mind and turned out in droves to see Grease. ‘I knew it was going to be a hit — there wasn’t a question in my mind. The critics didn’t matter, since they forgot that audiences go to movies to have fun,’ Thurm said.

‘The timing was right as we were having a ’50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade. ‘I love going on YouTube now and watching flashmobs still performing songs from the film around the globe,’ he added. Instant success: Casting director Thurm wasn’t only unconcerned about the cast’s ages, but he ‘knew it was going to be a hit,’ as the film coincided with a wave of ’50s nostalgia Saying goodbye: Travolta paid tribute to Olivia and referenced their Grease roles after her death from cancer on August 8, 2022 Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, after she suffered a recurrence of breast cancer in 2017.

By the time it was discovered, it had metastasized and spread to her lower back and bones. Travolta paid tribute to her after her death with a heartbreaking note posted to Instagram. ‘My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better, he wrote.

Did John Travolta know Olivia Newton-John before Grease?

2021 – “I was nervous of course,” she told Us of her first kissing scene with Travolta. “I remember just before that we were sitting on a rock and it’s actually in the movie that these waves broke over us. These rogue waves came in. And I can’t remember if that was before or after that because my hair was perfect. Credit: Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock

How old was Michelle Pfeiffer in Grease 2?

Casting – Birch proposed an idea to feature Travolta and Newton-John reprising their characters as a now married couple running a gas station near the end of the film, with Travolta to sing a new number “Gas Pump Jockey;” this did not come to fruition.

1. Paramount tried to get Jeff Conaway and Stockard Channing from the first film to do cameos but this did not happen (Channing, by then 37 years old, had left Hollywood for a time in the early 1980s to focus on her stage career).
2. Early plans for Grease 2 had Conaway and Channing’s characters, Kenickie and Rizzo, as main characters while they attended summer school, which would have culminated in the two getting married.

Timothy Hutton was announced as the male lead, but Maxwell Caulfield was cast after impressing producers off-Broadway in Entertaining Mister Sloane, Caulfield had already made his Broadway debut with roles in The Elephant Man and Entertaining Mr. Sloane,

• Having seen his performances, Allan Carr offered Caulfield the role of Michael over thousands of applicants.
• Unlike co-star Pfeiffer, Caulfield’s career following Grease 2 was damaged by the film’s failure.
• He has been quoted as saying: “Before Grease 2 came out, I was being hailed as the next Richard Gere or John Travolta,

However, when Grease 2 flopped, nobody would touch me. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown in my face. It took me 10 years to get over Grease 2,” With only a few television roles and small film appearances, Michelle Pfeiffer, then aged 23, was a relatively unknown actress when she attended the casting call audition for the role of Stephanie.

Other actresses considered for the part included Lisa Hartman, Kristy McNichol, Andrea McArdle, and singer Pat Benatar, Pfeiffer was a wild card choice, but according to Birch, she won the part because she “has a quirky quality you don’t expect.” She later commented on being cast: That was really weird for me.

I’d been taking singing lessons and I had taken dance, because I loved to dance, but I had never considered myself a professional at all. I went on this audition as a fluke, and somehow, through the process of going back and dancing, and then going back and singing, I ended up getting the part.

I went crazy with that movie. I came to New York and the paparazzi were waiting at the hotel. I know the producers put them up to it. I am basically very private, and I’m really nervous about doing publicity. Every time I set up an interview, I say, “That’s it, this is my last one. I’ll do this because I committed to doing it, but I’m never doing another one.” It was insane.

Lorna Luft was the last star cast. The part played by Connie Stevens was originally meant for Annette Funicello but she was unable to appear because her schedule as Skippy peanut butter spokeswoman did not allow her time to film the scene. Adrian Zmed had previously played the role of Danny Zuko in the stage version of Grease, a role he would later reprise in the 1990s.