Singer/actress Olivia Newton-John Dies at 73

Etonline.com: Famed actress and singer Olivia Newton-John has died at the age of 73. In a statement posted to Instagram, her husband, John Easterling, broke the news of her passing Monday. 

Alongside a photo of the Grease star, the caption read, "Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation." 

The post went on to highlight Newton-John's family, "Olivia is survived by her husband John Easterling; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; nieces and nephews Tottie, Fiona and Brett Goldsmith; Emerson, Charlie, Zac, Jeremy, Randall, and Pierz Newton-John; Jude Newton-Stock, Layla Lee; Kira and Tasha Edelstein; and Brin and Valerie Hall."

While Newton-John had a storied career in the entertainment industry, her portrayal of Sandy Olsson in the 1978 movie, Grease, cemented her in film history. She starred opposite John Travolta in the original movie musical. 

Newton-John is also remembered for her impressive singing career. Her accolades include four GRAMMY awards, five number-one hits and 10 top-ten hits. The "Let Me Be There" singer also scored two number-one albums in the 1970s. 

Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England though her family moved to Melbourne, Australia when she was 6 years old. The star got her initial break into the entertainment industry when she won the Australian talent show, Sing, Sing, Sing. She then moved back to England, and started her solo career with the single, “If Not For You.”

Two years later, Newton-John reached commercial success with songs such as “Let Me Be There” and “If You Love Me (Let Me Know),” which earned her a GRAMMY award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. 

With the release of Grease in 1978, Newton-John was at the top of her career. Both the film and the accompanying soundtrack were met with immediate success. Songs such as “You’re the One That I Want,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights” remain iconic to this day. 

Following the success of Grease, Newton-John returned to the big screen for her role in the 1980 film, Xanadu. She starred opposite Gene Kelly, though the film did not reach nearly the same level of acclaim, and was largely considered a box office flop. 

It was in the 1980s, that Newton-John revamped her music career. The release of the upbeat hit "Physical" in 1981 logged the singer her highest peaking track on the charts. 

In her personal life, Newton-John was first married to actor Matt Lattanzi with whom she shared her daughter, Chloe. They divorced in 1995. She went on to marry Easterling in 2008 and was with him up until the date of her passing. 

Newton-John's long-term battle with cancer began in 1992 when she went public with her first diagnosis of breast cancer. She went on to fund the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia, and had been a fierce advocate for cancer treatment and research.