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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Tuesday 9 augusT 2022
Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy in ‘Grease,’ dies at 73

By HILLEL ITALIE ‘It’s too late. It’s already
AP National Writer gone to radio and it’s run-
NEW YORK (AP) — Olivia ning up the charts.’ I was
Newton-John, the Gram- horrified!”
my-winning superstar who Fans flooded social media
reigned on pop, country, to mourn her death. “Fare-
adult contemporary and well with love to the legend
dance charts with such hits who will forever be my first
as “Physical” and “You’re crush,” wrote actor Dan-
the One That I Want” and iel Dae Kim. Added Tracie
won countless hearts as ev- Thoms: “Olivia Newton-
eryone’s favorite Sandy in John is an icon. We will miss
the blockbuster film version her dearly.” Gabrielle Union
of “Grease,” has died. She said she and her sister
was 73. watched “Xanadu” “more
Newton-John, a longtime times than I could count.”
resident of Australia whose She had a few hits after
sales topped 100 million al- “Physical,” but her career
bums, died Monday at her declined and Newton-
southern California ranch, John became more likely
John Easterling, her hus- to make news because of
band, wrote on Instagram her private life.
and Facebook. In 1992, as she was prepar-
“Olivia has been a symbol ing a concert tour, her fa-
of triumphs and hope for ther died and she was di-
over 30 years sharing her agnosed with breast can-
journey with breast can- Actress and singer Olivia Newton-John attends the 2018 G’Day USA Los Angeles Gala in Los cer.
cer,” he wrote. “We ask Angeles on Jan. 27, 2018. Her marriage to actor Matt
that everyone please re- Associated Press Lattanzi, with whom she
spect the family’s privacy made all of our lives so MTV, won a Grammy for and blouses for waist-high, had a daughter, actor-sing-
during this very difficult much better,” Travolta best video. black leather pants. “Physi- er Chloe Lattanzi, broke up
time.” wrote in an online post. Both musically and image- cal” even made Newton- in 1995 and a years-long re-
From 1973-83, Newton- “Your impact was incred- wise, she reinvented her- John blush as she told her lationship with cameraman
John was among the ible. I love you so much. We self during those years. The would-be lover “There’s Patrick McDermott ended
world’s most popular enter- will see you down the road blonde, ever-smiling New- nothing left to talk about/ mysteriously. McDermott
tainers. She had 14 top 10 and we will all be together ton-John initially favored Unless it’s horizontally” and went missing during a 2005
singles just in the U.S., won again. Yours from the mo- mild pop-country songs finally called out “Let’s get fishing trip in California and
four Grammys, starred with ment I saw you and forev- such as “Please Mr. Please” animal! Animal!” his fate remained unknown
John Travolta in “Grease” er! Your Danny, your John!” and “Have You Never Been “I recorded it and then sud- years later. Numerous re-
and with Gene Kelly in “Physical,” the bouncy, R- Mellow” and soft-breathing denly thought, ‘Goodness, ports alleged that he was
“Xanadu.” The fast-step- rated smash released in ballads like “I Honestly Love maybe I’ve gone too far!’” living in Mexico, with a new
ping Travolta-Newton-John 1981, was No. 1 for 10 weeks You,” which in 1975 won she told Entertainment girlfriend.
duet, “You’re the One That and was named Billboard’s Grammys for best female Weekly in 2017, recalling “He was lost at sea, and
I Want,” was one of the song of the year despite pop vocal and record of how the song had been nobody really knows what
era’s biggest songs and being banned by some the year. But she picked suggested by manager happened,” Newton-John
has sold more than 15 mil- radio stations. An aerobics- up the tempo in “Grease,” Roger Davies. “I called told Australia’s “60 Min-
lion copies. friendly promotional clip, especially after Sandy Roger and said, ‘We’ve got utes” in 2016. “It’s human to
“My dearest Olivia, you filmed in the early years of ditched her white sweaters to pull this song!’ He said, wonder. q

Nicki Minaj to get Video Vanguard

Award at MTV Awards

By MARK KENNEDY in Newark, New Jersey. Kendrick Lamar are the
AP Entertainment Writer “Nicki has broken barriers top award contenders with
NEW YORK (AP) — Nicki for women in hip-hop with seven nominations. Harlow,
Minaj will receive the Vid- her versatility and creative Lil Nas X, Drake, Bad Bunny,
eo Vanguard Award at artistry,” said Bruce Gillmer, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles
the MTV Awards later this chief content officer of and Lizzo will compete for
month, joining such previ- music at Paramount+ and artist of the year.
ous winning music lumi- president of music, music Styles and Doja Cat re-
naries as Madonna, Janet talent, programming and ceived the second-most
Jackson, LL Cool J, Jennifer events at Paramount. “She nominations with six. Sheer- Nicki Minaj poses in the press room with her award for best hip-
Lopez and Missy Elliott. has shifted the music in- an, Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua hop video for “Chun-Li” at the MTV Video Music Awards in New
Minaj, who has won five dustry and cemented her Lipa, Taylor Swift and The York on Aug. 20, 2018. Associated Press
MTV trophies for such hits status as a global superstar Weeknd each pulled in
as “Anaconda,” “Chun-Li” with her crossover appeal, five. nomination in each of the Also performing will be
and “Hot Girl Summer,” will genre-defying style and Madonna, who is the most VMAs five decades. She Anitta, J Balvin, Marshmello
get the award and perform continuing to be unapolo- awarded artist in MTV his- earned her 69th nomina- with Khalid and Panic! At
at the ceremony on Aug. getically ‘Nicki’.” tory with 20 wins, becomes tion for her 14th studio al- The Disco. More acts will be
28 at the Prudential Center Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X and the only artist to receive a bum “Madame X.” announced soon.q