Didi Conn is still warmly remembering Olivia Newton-John four years after the singer and actress died.
The two stars formed a lasting friendship while working on Grease, where Newton-John played Sandy Olsson and Conn took on the role of Frenchy.
Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, at the age of 73 after a long battle with breast cancer, prompting an outpouring of grief from fans and the entertainment industry alike. Announcing her death at the time, her husband John Easterling said, “Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends.”
He also said, “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.”
Conn has now looked back on their bond and shared a fond story from Newton-John’s concerts.
Speaking to PEOPLE, she said, “She’d always do a Grease set at the end of her concert, and right before that, she’d talk to the audience.”
Conn said Newton-John would tell the crowd, “Sometimes in life you make a friend and then you have that friend your whole life and I have one like that here today” – then she would invite her to join her onstage.
Recalling how she would respond, Conn said, “And I go, ‘Hi, Olivia, I’m here,'” before adding, “The place would go nuts and then I’d come on the stage, and I became like a rock star for five minutes.”
She also remembered that Newton-John frequently closed her shows with her 1974 song “I Honestly Love You”.
Describing that part of the performance, Conn said, “She’d stand there and sing, and she’d go like this with her hands to her audience, to her fans, say, ‘I honestly love you,'” and added, “She really meant it. She meant it with all her heart. So that’s the image I have of Olivia.”
Conn also reflected on what she learned from her friendship with Newton-John. “I learned this from my friend Olivia about gratitude for what you have and God knows she struggled through a lot of things, so that’s what I do now,” she said.
Newton-John’s former co-stars have continued to pay tribute in the years since her death, including John Travolta. Most recently, Travolta made a surprise appearance at a Grease sing-along at the Hollywood Bowl in June 2026, dressed as his character Danny Zuko, with Conn hosting the event.
On the day she died in 2022, Travolta wrote on social media, “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!”
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