Full name, and where you’re originally from?
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN. FROM
CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND (BUT I’M
A MELBOURNE GIRL AT HEART).Any nicknames?
LIVVY; LIV.Where do you currently live?
ON A PLANE!Sounds exotic. Favourite place to eat
when back in Melbourne?
MY FAMILY’S HOUSE FOR
A HOME-COOKED MEAL.True or false: When you first started
singing, you performed under the
name Lovely Livvy...
TRUE! I WAS ON A CHILDREN’S
TV SHOW CALLEDTHE HAPPY
SHOWWITH HAPPY HAMMOND.What’sthelastmusicalyouwentto?
THE GREATEST SHOWMANSTARRING
HUGH JACKMAN. I LOVED IT!This year marks the 40thanniversary ofGrease
–whichcoincideswithyour70th birthday.
How are you celebrating?
I PLAN TO SPEND TIME WITH
FRIENDS AND FAMILY – IT’S MY
FAVOURITE THING TO DO.It’softensaidthatGreasemade the
musical genre ‘cool’. Why do you think this is?
THE ’50S WERE JUST A COOL ERA.Why’dyouturndownaGrease 2?
MANY REASONS.Are you glad you did?
YES.[Chooseone]ChancesofyouandJohnTravolta
teaming up for a reunion performance are:
You’re dreaming
A slim possibility
Can’t say!Where do you keep that pair of leather pants?
THEY ARE IN SAFETY DEPOSIT
BOX UNTIL I AUCTION THEM TO
RAISE FUNDS FOR THE ONJ CANCER
WELLNESS & RESEARCH CENTRE.WhichGreaseco-stars do you keep
in touch with?
I SEE THEM ALL OCCASIONALLY,
BUT MOSTLY JOHN [TRAVOLTA]
AND DIDI CONN (WHO PLAYED
FRENCHY).John Travolta: tough guy or big softie?
BIG SOFTIE.Interesting. We heard you weren’t going
to watch theHopelessly Devoted to You
biopic starring Delta Goodrem. Why?IT’S HARD TO WATCH SOMEBODY
ELSE’S PERCEPTION OF YOUR OWN
LIFE. THE WRITERS WEREN’T
THERE, SO HOW COULD THEY
KNOW WHAT WAS SAID AND FELT?Have you caved and watched it yet?
NOT YET. I WILL PROBABLY WAIT
A YEAR AND THEN WATCH IT.Your memoir,Don’t Stop Believin’, comes out
in September. Describe the process of writing
it using three words:
DISCIPLINED.HUMBLING.GRATEFUL.Whatwasthebiggestthingyoulearned
about yourself while writing?
I AM STRONGER THAN I REALISED
AND THAT I HAVE LIVED AN
INCREDIBLE LIFE.TheONJCentrehasbeenamonumental
achievement for you. In light of your
battle with breast cancer, what’s the most
misunderstood thing about the disease?
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING TO KNOW IS CANCER ISN’T
NECESSARILY A DEATH SENTENCE.Most helpful piece of advice you received
while going through treatment?
TO LISTEN TO MY OWN MUSIC- IT REALLY SUPPORTED ME!
AND OF COURSE, MY HUSBAND’S
ONGOING WISDOM AND ADVICE.
How can readers show their support
fortheONJCancerCentre?
WE’RE DOING OUR ANNUAL
WELLNESS WALK ON SEPTEMBER 16
IN MELBOURNE, WHICH IS A GREAT
WAY TO GET INVOLVED. WE’RE
ALSO DOING VIRTUAL WALKS, SO
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE NO MATTER
WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD.REGISTER FOR THE ONJ CANCER
CENTRE’S WELLNESS WALK AT
WELLNESSWALKRESEARCHRUN.COM.AU2018ISABIGYEARFORTHIS
AUSSIE ICON. SHE’S CELEBRATING
HER 70THBIRTHDAY,GREASE
TURNS40 AND HER MEMOIR,
DON’TSTOPBELIEVIN’COMES OUT
IN SEPTEMBER. OH – AND SHE’S
RECENTLYGIVENBREASTCANCER
THE BOOT FOR A SECOND TIME.OLIVIA
NEWTON-JOHN
THE LAST WORD
160 GQ.COM.AUAUGUST 2018
AUGUSTWITHX WORDS: AMY CAMPBELL. PHOTOGRAPHY: DENISE TRUSCELLO.