Olivia Newton-John died Monday at the age of 73, it was reported on her official social media channels.
According to an Instagram post, she died peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California, surrounded by family and friends.
Although a cause of death wasn’t given, a source close to the singer/actor told TMZ, “After a 30-year cancer journey, she lost her battle to metastatic breast cancer.”
The “Grease” star fought breast cancer for more than 30 years, sharing her journey through difficult times. Her fight produced 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.
She 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.
Newton-John got her big break in 1978, opposite John Travolta in “Grease.” Her role as Sandy thrust her into stardom, along with her performances of “You’re the One that I Want,” “Summer Nights” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
“You’re the One That I Want,” a duet with Travolta off the “Grease” soundtrack, spent nearly six months on the U.S. top-10 lists.
She followed “Grease” with movies like “Xanadu.”
Her singing career was just as successful with hits like “Physical” in 1981, which stayed at No. 1 for 10 weeks.
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.