Olivia Newton-John, the beloved singer, actress, author and humanitarian, who died of cancer at age 73 in 2022, will be the subject of a documentary that will explore “the music, life and magic of the pop star and cultural phenom.” The as-yet-untitled film is being directed by Nicole Newnham and will stream on Netflix. No premiere date has been announced. The news was first reported by Deadline.
The streamer’s announcement noted, “In her own words, through vivid archival and via reminiscences from close friends and collaborators, we’ll follow Olivia’s journey as the world falls madly in love with her and she ascends to the height of fame, only to be confronted by challenges of epic proportions.”
Newton-John was named a dame in the 2020 New Year Honors by the U.K. government. The star reacted to the newsby saying she was “excited, honored and grateful beyond words.” (Though born in England, she was a longtime Australian resident.) She broke through with her 1974 #1 smash, “I Honestly Love You,” which earned the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, and followed it with four other chart-toppers: 1975’s “Have You Never Been Mellow,” her 1978 duet from Grease with John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want,” 1980’s “Magic” and 1981’s “Physical.”
Thanks to her incredible voice, girl-next-door natural beauty, great song choices and terrific production, she ultimately earned another ten Top 10 singles on the Hot 100. Her seven Top 10 country singles include “Let Me Be There” and “If You Love Me (Let Me Know).”
The star earned four Grammy Awards and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1981. Her recordings are available here and here.
The documentary production statement added, “This is the story of a woman who was perpetually underestimated despite her mesmerizing talent, ultimately silencing her detractors by pushing through phenomenal loss and pain with grace and gratitude. By discovering how to stay true to her beliefs, Olivia changed our culture for the better, bending it towards kindness, inclusivity, and love.”
Newton-John gave her final live performance in 2020 for a benefit concert in Australia.
1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationIt’s really quite inaccurate to state that she brpke through with “I Honestly Love You”. That record followed imemdiately on the heels of two huge Top 10 hits, “Let Me Be There” and “If You Love Me Let Me Know”. I was there at the time listening to pop radio and buying her singles, and just because “I Honestly Love You” was the first to hit #1, it was not an appreciably bigger hit at the time. It would be far more accurate to say that she broke through with “Let Me Be There”, the first in her long series of mid-70s hits.