Olivia Newton-John’s film legacy is extensive, but her acting career was undoubtedly marked by her role in the 1978 film, Grease. However, the singer had turned down the role of Sandy Olsson and it was John Travolta who convinced her to do it.
Why Olivia Newton-John didn’t want to be Sandy in ‘Grease’?
When “Grease” writer Allan Carr approached Olivia Newton-John about playing the role of Sandy, the actress wasn’t sure she wanted to do it.
This was due, among other things, to the fact that Olivia had previously participated in another musical film, which was not a success. The actress revealed this on the ‘Mamamia’s No Filter’ podcast in 2018:
Another reason why the actress refused to be Sandy Olsson in the film was that she did not feel comfortable playing such a minor character, because when she was offered the role, the singer was 29 years old, while the student was 17.
It should be noted that John Travolta, co-star of the film, was then 23 years old, which increased the doubts of Olivia Newton-John to accept the role.
The actress didn’t stop coming up with new excuses and reasons not to be a part of ‘Vaseline’, as she even appealed to her Australian accent not to appear in it:
How John Travolta convinced Olivia Newton-John to be Sandy in ‘Grease’
According to ‘Grease’ casting director Joel Thurm in an interview with ‘People’ on August 9, 2022, casting Olivia Newton-John as Sandy for ‘Grease’ was very easy. He himself confessed that the main person responsible for this decision was none other than John Travolta.
Even though the “Grease” crew was convinced they wanted Olivia to play the part, she was the only one who wasn’t sure about it.
In 2018 in an interview with Mía Freedman on the “Mamamia’s No Filter” podcast, the actress confessed that John Travolta himself had to go to her door to convince her to be Sandy:
Despite the actor’s gesture to convince her, it wasn’t until she auditioned playing Sandy that she accepted the role:
In this regard, Joel Thurm confessed to “People” that the fact that Olivia asked for a test before accepting the role only showed how intelligent the singer was:
Source: univision
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
