Devoted to Others

Fall 2019 (Florida Coast Magazine) – Four-time Grammy winner and beloved movie icon Olivia Newton-John recently added the release of her memoir Don’t Stop Believin’ to to her long list of achievements. The Florida Coast Magazine team were honored to interview the remarkable superstar, who happens to have a home here in Jupiter. On a hot summers day in South Florida, Olivia spared some time to talk to us about her book, health, and future.

Hearing the lyrics, “You’re the one that I want,” transports many of us back to the 1978 smash hit movie Grease. Starring Olivia Newton-John as the good girl, Australian expat Sandy and John Travolta, as the loveable, rebellious greaser Danny Zuko, the movie is based on an American high school in the 1950s. Grease was a catalyst for bringing issues like teenage revolution, hormones, and even teenage pregnancy into the mainstream media.

Olivia, however, was not originally sold on making the movie. Taking a moment to reminisce, she said, “John Travolta came out to my house one day and convinced me by saying, ‘None of us are under 20, so its okay.’ We also got on really well. I thought, if I can do the screen test, I can prove to myself that I will be happy doing it. I had done a movie a few years before called Tomorrow and it was a disaster. It was fun to do, but I was nervous to do a movie that might hamper my musical career. In the end, I decided it would be a great idea, and it’s really exciting to play two roles in one. Sandy 1, which was the square Sandy, and Sandy 2, the cool Sandy you see at the end of the movie. Thank goodness I changed my mind.”

Olivia started to write a book many years ago, but it soon became obvious it wasn’t the correct time to write it. “Recently they were doing a life-story movie of me in Australia. I wasn’t involved in it, so I thought I better write my version because I didn’t know what they were going to say. It turned out the movie was okay, and a good friend of mine, Delta Goodrem (Australian singer and actress), was actually playing the part of me. Anyway, this really started me off on the path of writing this book and I really enjoyed the fun of writing it,” declared Olivia.

Don’t Stop Believin’ is packed full of captivating stories of Olivia’s life spanning from when she was a young girl moving from England to Australia, then on to the United States where she became a megastar. It’s a very grounded piece of writing for someone who has led such an exciting life. When reading, it doesn’t feel like a book of name-dropping, but instead a collection of fascinating stories of a girl who fought for a dream. It’s inspiring, funny, and at times tear-jerking.

If you are looking for a book of gossip, this is not it. Olivia explains, “I don’t like books that dish the dirt. What happens between people, especially friends, family, or boyfriends should stay private. It’s not their fault that they know, or are going out with, someone who is well-known. I tried not to put anyone in the book unless I knew they were comfortable with the story.”

Olivia writes poetry too, although she is very modest when quizzing her if she would ever release a book of poems. “I do write poetry, it’s kind of whimsical stuff, but I do enjoy writing it. I have actually been going through a lot of my old stuff and I have been finding old books, lyrics, and poems. I really didn’t realize how prolific I have been in my life.” She also loves to read adages, with her favorite one being, “This too shall pass.”  

Olivia is often with her family on her ranch in California, or at her home in Jupiter. A big animal lover, she devotes time to her two miniature horses, Harry and Winston, her German Shepherd Raven, a wildcat from Georgia, Magic, and 13 chickens. She is married to the founder and chairman of the natural health firm, Amazon Health (which merged with Trivita in 2012), John Easterling. Known as “Amazon John,” picture an Indiana Jones kind of character, with rugged good looks, wearing khaki, jungle attire. Olivia laughs at this description of him, “Actually his first company was called Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

John is an environmentalist, and he has spent years exploring the Amazon, studying its plants and potential medicines to help others. He engages in eco-commerce as a solution to rainforest sustainability. Olivia pointed out, “It’s actually our anniversary today, (June 21) we got married in Peru and then had the legal ceremony back on Jupiter Island. We haven’t gone to the Amazon for a while though, as I haven’t done much traveling recently. We are however going to Europe this year because my sister has just moved to Spain.”

Olivia, now 70 years old, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. The diagnosis came the same weekend her father died of cancer. Asking Olivia how she felt when she was first told she had the disease, she says, “I reacted with humor and laughter in the beginning because that’s the way I probably cope. I was in disbelief, although I knew there was something wrong when the doctor wanted to see me. I had a heads up before I heard the words. If they want to see you in person its not just to have a chat. I felt there was something wrong, so really it was just a confirmation.”

Olivia had another bout of cancer in 2013 and was diagnosed again in 2017, which has now developed into stage 4 cancer. On asking how she was feeling, Olivia did not hesitate when she said, “I feel great and also lucky to have my husband. He makes me things like medicinal cannabis drops, which make a huge difference. I’m also on an estrogen blocker protocol that has been really good. So, with a combination of the herbs, homeopathic, and the cannabis, I’m really doing great.”

She, like many, believe that cancer is often triggered by stress. She said, “If your immune system is suppressed, illness can take off in your body whether it’s cancer or immune diseases. There are so many factors, but stress is a big contributor because your immunity goes down. When my sister was dying from a brain tumor, that hit me hard and I believe that triggered the reoccurrence of the disease. When I talk to people who are going through cancer, I always ask them whether there was something that may have upheld this theory, and usually there is an answer.”

If interested in investigating this idea, Olivia recommended the author Louise Hay (who died recently in her 90s). Hay’s book, You Can Heal Your Life, outlines the causes of physical symptoms and the affirmations one must repeat to heal the illness. Olivia also highlights the fact that Eastern medicine has long believed this theory.

Reading Olivia’s memoir, there is a sense that her strength may have been inherited from her mother. Olivia agrees, “It definitely was. You don’t realize your parent’s influence when you are younger though. My father and mother divorced when I was very young. She had never worked previously, so she had to go and get a job to support us. Then she bought a house. She used to say (Olivia mimics her mother) ‘always be independent and never rely on a man.’” There is a silent pause before the interview continues.

Olivia is passionate about helping others, and she is heavily involved in setting up the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. “I’m very proud it has my name. I was approached 15 years ago to see if I would lend my name to a cancer center. To me, it was really important to have the wellness aspect included. I said that I would lend my name if they put a wellness center in the hospital. This was not heard of in most hospitals at that time because it’s a public hospital, so it would be free. We have to rely on donations for the wellness and the research programs, the state-of-the-art cancer treatments, and the therapies that we have.”

Olivia is very proud of the hospital, and she was actually a patient there last year. “I had a fractured sacrum, and I was in there for a while,” she explains. “When I left my room, I would walk around in disguise so I could have a look at how things were operating. I put my ski hat on and a pair of big glasses and no one took a second look.”  

Don’t Stop Believin’ really has some humorous stories, like the time Olivia walked on to the set of Grease wearing the famous Sandy 2 outfit—leather jacket and black lycra pants—for the first time. She hadn’t warned anyone and walked through the movie set to “gasps,” “ooos,” and “ahs;” much like Danny Zuko’s reaction when he saw Sandy 2 for the first time. 

Olivia is excited to be auctioning these famous outfits, and other iconic pieces from her wardrobe, to help raise funds for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre. The auction will be taking place on November 1st and 2nd at The Standard Oil Building in Beverly Hills, California and online at juliensauctions.com with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the ONJ Centre. Quizzing Olivia on how much she hopes to raise, she said, “My vision is a million dollars a piece as that’s what we need. I look at other pieces of iconic clothing and they have got that kind of money, so I don’t imagine why we couldn’t do it.”

Discussing future ventures, Olivia has no current plans to go into the studio, but highlighted, “If I do anything, I will do something with my daughter Chloe. We had a number one dance record, “You Have to Believe” (remake of original “Magic” she recorded for the Xanadu movie soundtrack) and we thought it may be fun to do something else.”

Olivia appreciates nature and spending time with her husband at their home in Jupiter, Florida. “Jupiter, is really our base, so we do spend a lot of time there; it’s so beautiful,” she declared.

There was a great feeling of positivity throughout the interview and appreciation for life. Olivia’s fantastic dry humor and quick wit kept the conversation flowing and put this star-struck journalist at ease. When all the formal questions were completed, the chat continued–

Interviewer: “My father was a big fan of yours.”

Olivia: “Aw, that’s great.”

Interviewer: “So much so, my mother still doesn’t like you.”

Olivia: (laughter) “Tell your mum I like her anyway.”

As for the future, Olivia is determined to help others who are suffering, by raising money for her cancer center, in addition to enjoying life with her family with a few adventures thrown in along the way. To quote directly from Olivia and her book, “We create what we believe.”