John Travolta Remains ‘Hopelessly Devoted’ While Tearfully Honoring Olivia Newton-John At The Oscars

Mar 14, 2023 by apost team

On Aug. 8, 2022, the world lost one of its brightest stars — Olivia Newton-John. She was a British-Australian performer best known for her work as an actress, singer, and activist. The acclaimed entertainer won several awards over the course of her life and was honored by fans and critics alike. Newton-John released several albums and chart-topping singles, making her one of the best-selling music artists following the second half of the 20th century. 

And who could forget her turn in the 1978 musical film “Grease,” alongside John Travolta? The film catapulted the performer to fame and made her a household name, showing off her sweet yet powerful vocals and great acting chops. Even today, people are still singing the songs from the “Grease” soundtrack and dressing up as Danny and Sandy for costume parties.

But aside from “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” “Summer Nights,” and “You’re The One That I Want” from “Grease,” Newton-John was also responsible for singing perhaps some of the decade-defining hits of the late 1970s to the 1980s. 

The Australian music legend was responsible for the hits “Physical,” “If You Love Me (Let Me Know),” “Have You Never Been Mellow,” “A Little More Love,” and “Twist of Fate,” among many others. 

Still, there’s no denying that people will always link Newton-John to her iconic performance of Sandy in “Grease.” And since her passing, people have done their part to honor the late singer and actress, including her co-star, Travolta.

At the 2023 Oscars, Travolta was tasked with presenting the performance for the “In Memoriam” segment. During his short speech, he found a way to honor his dearly beloved co-star, Newton-John, which made him break his voice as he was enveloped with emotions. 

Read on to learn more about how Travolta honored Newton-John’s passing. 

Newton-John’s portrayal of the doe-eyed Sandy and Travolta’s Danny Zuko went down to be a cult classic in pop culture. Coupled with the still beloved tracks like “Summer Nights,” “Born To Hand Jive,” and “We Go Together,” the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Newton-John’s legacy will always be remembered, and she will forever be Travolta’s – and the world’s – Sandy. And in February 2023, Travolta paid homage to his late friend in a “Grease” Super Bowl commercial.

The commercial featured Travolta alongside “Scrubs” actors Donald Faison and Zach Braff. The three performed their own version of “Summer Nights,” although the lyrics were changed for the T-Mobile advertisement. The video premiered six months after Newton-John’s death.

 “Neighbors that sing together, stay together. I couldn’t ask for anyone better than @Donald_aison and @zachbraff. Thanks @tmobile! #TMobilePartner,” Travolta shared on Instagram. 

There’s no denying that Newton-John and Travolta had a beautiful friendship over the past few decades. So when Newton-John passed away on Aug. 8, 2022, Travolta went to Instagram to share some sweet words about his late friend. He uploaded a stunning photograph of the late actress with the caption:

“My dearest Olivia, 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!”

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Annually, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, commonly known as The Academy, honors the stars and industry figures who have passed away in the past year in an emotional “In Memoriam” tribute to them. This segment of the Oscars is one of the most-awaited as it was one of the most talked about parts always. 

When Travolta came to the stage to introduce Grammy-winning singer Lenny Kravitz for his upcoming performance, he delivered a short and meaningful speech to honor the departed ones. 

“In this industry, we have the rare luxury of getting to do what we love for a living and sometimes getting to do it with people who we’ve come to love,” he said. “Through their immeasurable contributions, each of them left an immeasurable and indelible mark that shaped and informed us.”

But as Travolta was nearing the end of his message, he choked as his voice broke, saying the last line of his message: 

“They touched our hearts, they made us smile and became dear friends…who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to.”

Travolta’s subtle yet very poignant nod to perhaps Newton-John’s most popular song, “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” was the perfect addition to his already-emotional speech. 

Fans of the two were quick to share Travolta’s sentiments online, agreeing that it was truly a “heartbreaking” moment for him. 

“We choked up too. JT’s Timeless. When listening to his speech. I reflected on his loss of his wife Kelly Preston,” a fan commented. 

“This was such a heartbreaking moment,” someone tweeted. 

“That was truly genuine. Losing a lifelong friend is incredibly hard,” another shared. 

After Travolta’s speech, Kravitz performed “Calling All Angels,” which wrapped everyone at the show with much emotion. 

What can you say about John Travolta’s speech? Isn’t it lovely? Let us know, and pass this on to those who you think would love to know about Travolta’s tribute to her late friend, Olivia Newton-John!