Latest news with #Grease
Scotsman
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Haunting of Alice Gilfrey
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Haunting Of Agnes Gilfrey, Oran Mor, Glasgow ★★★ Youth's a stuff will not endure, says Shakespeare; but in the age of the tribute musical, it can be endlessly recaptured, and made to live again on stage. Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's 1971 show Grease – later transformed into the 1978 global hit film – is a tribute musical in the true sense. Set in the autumn of 1959, it is one of the original high school musicals, and its much-loved songs – Summer Nights, We Go Together, You're The One That I Want, and many more – are all lovingly crafted in the bubble-gum pop style of the late Fifties. Grease at Pitlochry Festival Theatre PIC: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan To work well, though, a show like Grease needs a company who are themselves full of the rebellious energy and sheer joie de vivre of youth; and that's what the 2025 Pitlochry ensemble provides by the truckload, in the opening production of this year's main stage summer season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Co-produced with the Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Sam Hardie's Pitlochry-made production has already played a two-week run there; so the version that opened at Pitlochry over the weekend is already warmed up to sizzling-point. Working in the instruments-in-hand style perfected by Pitlochry musical director Richard Reeday, the 17-strong cast offer a sparkling display of quadruple-threat theatrical energy, as they act, sing, dance and play their way through the story of good girl Sandy, her beau Danny Zuko, and the Rydell High School gang who surround them. What makes the show a roaring success, though – despite the occasional rough edge and under-powered moment – is not only that energy, but the sheer underlying professionalism they bring to the task of making the story work, as a fast-moving two hours of theatre, plus interval. Blythe Jandoo is a beautiful, poignant Sandy, and Alexander Service a palpably decent Danny, with Tyler Collins and Fiona Wood fairly knocking the pinball out of the arcade as rough kids Kenickie and Rizzo. In the end, though, it's all about the ensemble, and the terrific collective spirit expressed through the big-number songs, and through Kally Lloyd-Jones's joyful choreography; and when they reach the final triumphant chorus of You're The One That I Want, the Pitlochry audience can hardly wait to leap to their feet and join in the jive, in one of those glorious celebrations of youth that never grows old. Manasa Tagica and Sarah McCardie in The Haunting of Alice Gilfrey at Oran Mor PIC: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Youth's a stuff that can't be recaptured, though, for the central character in the latest Play, Pie and Pint lunchtime drama, co-produced with Mull Theatre. In The Haunting Of Agnes Gilfrey, by Glasgow based writer-performer Amy Conway, the central character Agnes is an outspoken Glasgow woman in her forties who loves her job in the film industry, but has recently fallen in love with, and married, a slightly younger man, an American actor called Jimmy, who is eager to become a Dad. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pair are therefore undergoing fertility treatment, so far with no success; and when they arrive for a romantic break at a holiday-let castle on Mull – and encounter the very strange housekeeper, Mrs Carlin – Agnes soon begins to feel haunted by the unhappy spirit of a former lady of the house, whose sombre portrait hangs over the fireplace. The play perhaps spends a little too much time setting up this situation, and referencing various horror-movie tropes, before Agnes's story finally moves towards its crisis. The point it wants to make, though – about patriarchal pressure on women to have children, and on how even the nicest, funniest men can be complicit with it – is a powerful one. And in Katie Slater's production, Mary Gapinski, Manasa Tagica, and a poignant and hilarious Sarah McCardie as Agnes, make a fine job of exploring the tough moment of choice she faces; as she learns to embrace her own inner cailleach, or crone, and her right to grow older, without shame or regret.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I prepared myself to die and I'm poorer than ever says EastEnders' Samantha Womack as she reveals how cancer changed her
Sam had not found a lump, nor had a mammogram, but was instead guided by her intuition that something wasn't quite right BRAVE STAR I prepared myself to die and I'm poorer than ever says EastEnders' Samantha Womack as she reveals how cancer changed her IN August 2022, after going off a 'gut feeling' while starring in a West End play and getting checked, Samantha Womack was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 49. And the star - known to millions for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders - had a long road ahead, one where she didn't know what her end destination would be, and so, in a heartbreaking move, she prepared for the disease killing her. Advertisement 8 Samantha Womack was 49 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 Credit: PA 8 The star is known to millions for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders Credit: BBC 8 Samantha pictured right on Loose Women with her on-screen sister Rita Simons Credit: Rex Features 'You obviously never want to lose your life, but cancer forces you to look into that cupboard,' Samantha told The Sun, continuing: 'I started preparing for that from the beginning, because you do realise you could be close to possibly having that final moment. "I started preparing for the 'what's going to happen if I've only got six months.' Advertisement 'But actually, once you've looked in that cupboard, it's not as scary as you think, I felt like, 'OK, that cupboard is there, and I don't know when it's going to be fully open'.' The EastEnders star was told it was a Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma - one that tends to grow and spread more quickly than lower-grade cancers - and she'd neither found a lump, nor had a mammogram, but was instead guided by her intuition that something wasn't quite right. It was over the next gruelling few months that Samantha would undergo the arduous task of having chemotherapy, and undergoing a lumpectomy, to try and remove the cancer - a time which the star describes as 'frightening.' Samantha made her EastEnders debut on July 24, 2007, slipping into the skin of Ronnie Mitchell, a cousin of Walford tough man Phil. Less than a decade later, Ronnie and on-screen sister Roxy Mitchell - played by Rita Simons - were given the chop. She then moved into theatre, and it was one evening after a show that Samantha went for dinner with Grease superstar Oliva Newton-John, who battled breast cancer for three decades. Advertisement Little did Samantha know at the time, but Olivia's tragic death from the disease in 2022 would spur her on to announce her own breast cancer to her large fan base. Sharing a picture of herself with the actress, who passed away at the age of 73, Samantha wrote: 'This was the most magical of evenings. Olivia and Chloe had come to see Grease in London and we had dinner together afterwards. I was so excited and in awe, she was my childhood.' Sam added: 'I now start my own battle with this disease and am left feeling deeply moved.' EastEnders' Samantha Womack reveals she broke down in tears as she returned to stage after breast cancer surgery Samantha had gone to get checked while working, and she quickly got a diagnosis of a gremlin shadow, eventually diagnosed as breast cancer. 'If I hadn't gone to follow that instinct at that time, my life, well, I don't even know if I could have my life now. That's the reality,' she tells us. Advertisement Samantha continued: 'My diagnosis and my treatment would have just been so, so much harder, because it had already started to travel to my lymph nodes. Early diagnosis is absolutely life changing.' Then came the next challenge of breaking the news to her family. The star spoke about how she told them, including her two children Benjamin and Lili-Rose, saying her initial response was to 'protect' her kids from the news. What are the signs of breast cancer? BREAST cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. The majority of women who get it are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer. If it's treated early enough, breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous, but it's always best to have them checked by your doctor. You should also speak to your GP if you notice any of the following: a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood) a lump or swelling in either of your armpits dimpling on the skin of your breasts a rash on or around your nipple a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast Source: NHS 'I think it's a very female thing to do, and you want to be like a 'good cancer girl,' Samantha added. Currently, the star lives in Spain after making the move there with her Emmerdale star partner, Oliver Farnworth. Advertisement Samantha continued: 'Ollie, my partner, is very gentle, so he doesn't force any kind of conversation or whatever. I mean, his way of taking care of it was just constantly coming in and trying to make nice things to eat and we'd go for a walk up the mountain every day, which was really hard after chemo, but then every day you go a little bit further, and a little bit further. You obviously never want to lose your life, but cancer forces you to look into that cupboard Samantha Womack 'I was just so lucky to have that experience. I think I would really struggle in a city. A lot of the women that I speak to who now go on retreats after cancer or during cancer treatment say being around nature feels very healing.' Over the next few months, the brave star underwent treatment, and she described to us what that was like, grimacing while recalling 'red devil chemo' which is given that name due to its bright red appearance. Recalling that time of her life, Samantha said: 'Interestingly, the radiotherapy, I was OK with. I didn't react too badly to that. The chemotherapy that I had, I found frightening, but mainly because I was dovetailing between private healthcare. 'I wasn't insured. I cancelled my insurance during Covid. I knew I had a high grade three cancer, which means it was aggressive. So I had some savings, not a lot, but I just knew that the most important thing was to get it out ASAP, which actually I'm really glad I did because it had started to go to the lymph nodes. Advertisement 'Then I went back to the NHS because they're brilliant at cancer care, and I was treated at the Royal Marsden. But, I think for me I was the most scared then because I didn't know what was coming. 'I feared the feeling of being out of control, and red devil chemo in particular felt really frightening because they needed to sign it off and two nurses needed to administer it because it's highly toxic. 'And when you watch that colour come out of a box and see two women with masks putting it in, it does feel really frightening. 'Some people decide to go traditional with treatment, some people don't. The point is that you have as much information as you can, because then you get to tailor your treatment and your whole experience of cancer, which honestly now I wouldn't change. I wouldn't change it because I'm calmer and, I think, slightly more connected to myself than I ever have been before.' After around six months, Samantha was told she was cancer-free - a term the star says she finds 'strange.' Advertisement 'I'll say I'm cancer-free as of right now, but I also know that, statistically, if you've had cancer there's probably a slightly greater risk that you'll get it again compared to somebody that hasn't had it,' she said. And cancer most definitely changed the star's outlook in so many different ways. Samantha tells us she's become more pragmatic, won't suffer fools, and is trusting and listening to herself a lot more than she once did. I feared the feeling of being out of control, and red devil chemo in particular felt really frightening Samantha Womack She said: 'I've definitely changed as a human. If I feel like I need a break, or feel like I need a check up, or if I'm actually really not comfortable with a job or I'm uncomfortable with a group of people, I just trust my voice in my head so much more than I ever did. 'If I feel like something is wrong, not just health-wise, just anything, if I feel like something's not a good fit for me, I'm far more confident now to be able to say, 'Do you know what? I just don't think this is for me. And that's because my perception has shifted.' Advertisement Samantha's shift in perception has also altered the way she views her finances, with the star admitting to having 'far less money than she ever had,' but for good reason. She explained: 'My biggest paranoia and, not even paranoia, my biggest anxiety was about financial stability because I didn't have it growing up. I had a precarious start in life and I craved that financial security that would keep me physically safe. 'I'd be in a house, and I'd control my environment. And I think work became attached to that for me, it became about financial security. and I think what's happened since the diagnosis is I'm in no better position financially than I was. I'm still a jobbing actor. I still, if I've got paid for one good job, it could be up to a year before I want to take another job or get offered another job. 'So I'm actually turning down more work now than I ever have, and I have far less money than I've ever had, but it's a weird thing for me because normally, as my bank balances disappears, that anxiety would normally keep me awake at night, and I still worry about it, but it doesn't take over my entire body because I know I'm safe. 'I'm safe because I have me, I have my brain, I have my body, and I have my health. Don't be distracted with all the other kinds of sparkly bits of life. If you've got a concern, if you've got any niggling worries, there are places you can go to get checked.' Advertisement On the topic of getting checked, Samantha is trying to educate women about the importance of knowing their breast density, for a Genesis Care campaign named 'Keep Abreast of your Breast Density.' While mammograms are a great screening tool for many women, for those with dense breasts it is harder to spot anything out of the ordinary, and cancer can be missed. Dense breast tissue is found in approximately half of women who are aged forty or above and worryingly, women with extremely dense breasts are six times more likely to get breast cancer than those with fatty breasts. Discussing her mission to educate, Samantha explained: 'We often think of breast cancer as something that happens to women after menopause, and that's dictated by the NHS calling us in for mammograms after the age of 50. 'But obviously we know now that cancer is now far more prevalent in all ages and breast cancer numbers are through the roof. What I love about the campaign is, as I've understood through my own journey, information is power.' Advertisement She praised the younger women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer for speaking out on social media, from Jessie J to EastEnders star Kara Tointon. 'Genesis Care is doing this amazing thing, where they are informing women about what dense breasts are following their mammogram, which I'd never heard of. I did loads of reading, loads of treatments, but no one had ever told me to test my breast density. And the statistics are really important. If you're D category and extremely dense, you're six times more likely to get cancer. We know now that cancer is now far more prevalent in all ages and breast cancer numbers are through the roof Samantha Womack 'To get checked is probably the same price as you taking your car for an MOT, or a weekend away or, you know, and even if you're low income, you could save up for a year and hopefully try and get enough.' GenesisCare has also launched a new screening service where patients who have dense breast tissue can benefit from a rapid breast MRI scan for early detection of cancer. These scans, which aren't widely available as standard screening unless you have a very high risk of breast cancer, are now available privately at GenesisCare centres in Oxford and Windsor. 8 Samantha's shift in perception has also altered the way she views her finances Credit: BBC Advertisement 8 Sam with Emmerdale partner Oliver Farnworth 8 Samantha said her initial response was to 'protect' her kids from the news Credit: INSTAGRAM 8 Samantha is trying to educate women about their breast density for a Genesis Care campaign Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I prepared myself to die and I'm poorer than ever says EastEnders' Samantha Womack as she reveals how cancer changed her
IN August 2022, after going off a 'gut feeling' while starring in a West End play and getting checked, Samantha Womack was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 49. And the star - known to millions for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders - had a long road ahead, one where she didn't know what her end destination would be, and so, in a heartbreaking move, she prepared for the disease killing her. Advertisement 8 Samantha Womack was 49 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 Credit: PA 8 The star is known to millions for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders Credit: BBC 8 Samantha pictured right on Loose Women with her on-screen sister Rita Simons Credit: Rex Features 'You obviously never want to lose your life, but cancer forces you to look into that cupboard,' Samantha told The Sun, continuing: 'I started preparing for that from the beginning, because you do realise you could be close to possibly having that final moment. "I started preparing for the 'what's going to happen if I've only got six months.' Advertisement 'But actually, once you've looked in that cupboard, it's not as scary as you think, I felt like, 'OK, that cupboard is there, and I don't know when it's going to be fully open'.' The EastEnders star was told it was a Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma - one that tends to grow and spread more quickly than lower-grade cancers - and she'd neither found a lump, nor had a mammogram, but was instead It was over the next gruelling few months that She then moved into theatre , and it was one evening after a show that Samantha went for dinner with Grease superstar Oliva Newton-John, who battled breast cancer for three decades. Advertisement Little did Samantha know at the time, but Olivia's tragic death from the disease in 2022 would Sharing a picture of herself with the actress, who passed away at the age of 73, Chloe had come to see Grease in London and we had dinner together afterwards. I was so excited and in awe, she was my childhood.' Sam added: 'I now start my own battle with this disease and am left feeling deeply moved.' EastEnders' Samantha Womack reveals she broke down in tears as she returned to stage after breast cancer surgery Samantha had gone to get checked while working, and she quickly got a diagnosis of a gremlin shadow, eventually diagnosed as breast cancer. 'If I hadn't gone to follow that instinct at that time, my life, well, I don't even know if I could have my life now. That's the reality,' she tells us. Advertisement Samantha continued: 'My diagnosis and my treatment would have just been so, so much harder, because it had already started to travel to my lymph nodes. Early diagnosis is absolutely life changing.' Then came the next challenge of breaking the news to her family. The star spoke about how she told them, including her two children Benjamin and Lili-Rose, saying her initial response was to 'protect' her kids from the news. What are the signs of breast cancer? BREAST cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. The majority of women who get it are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer. If it's treated early enough, breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body. Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous, but it's always best to have them checked by your doctor. You should also speak to your GP if you notice any of the following: a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood) a lump or swelling in either of your armpits dimpling on the skin of your breasts a rash on or around your nipple a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast Source: NHS 'I think it's a very female thing to do, and you want to be like a 'good cancer girl,' Samantha added. Currently, the star lives in Spain after making the move there with her Emmerdale star partner, Oliver Farnworth. Advertisement Samantha continued: 'Ollie, my partner, is very gentle, so he doesn't force any kind of conversation or whatever. I mean, his way of taking care of it was just constantly coming in and trying to make nice things to eat and we'd go for a walk up the mountain every day, which was really hard after chemo, but then every day you go a little bit further, and a little bit further. You obviously never want to lose your life, but cancer forces you to look into that cupboard Samantha Womack 'I was just so lucky to have that experience. I think I would really struggle in a city. A lot of the women that I speak to who now go on retreats after cancer or during cancer treatment say being around nature feels very healing.' Over the next few months, the brave star underwent treatment, and she described to us what that was like, grimacing while recalling 'red devil chemo' which is given that name due to its bright red appearance. Recalling that time of her life, Samantha said: 'Interestingly, the radiotherapy, I was OK with. I didn't react too badly to that. The chemotherapy that I had, I found frightening, but mainly because I was dovetailing between private healthcare. 'I wasn't insured. I cancelled my insurance during Covid. I knew I had a high grade three cancer, which means it was aggressive. So I had some savings, not a lot, but I just knew that the most important thing was to get it out ASAP, which actually I'm really glad I did because it had started to go to the lymph nodes. Advertisement 'Then I went back to the NHS because they're brilliant at cancer care, and I was treated at the Royal Marsden. But, I think for me I was the most scared then because I didn't know what was coming. 'I feared the feeling of being out of control, and red devil chemo in particular felt really frightening because they needed to sign it off and two nurses needed to administer it because it's highly toxic. 'And when you watch that colour come out of a box and see two women with masks putting it in, it does feel really frightening. 'Some people decide to go traditional with treatment, some people don't. The point is that you have as much information as you can, because then you get to tailor your treatment and your whole experience of cancer, which honestly now I wouldn't change. I wouldn't change it because I'm calmer and, I think, slightly more connected to myself than I ever have been before.' After around six months, Samantha was told she was cancer-free - a term the star says she finds 'strange.' Advertisement 'I'll say I'm cancer-free as of right now, but I also know that, statistically, if you've had cancer there's probably a slightly greater risk that you'll get it again compared to somebody that hasn't had it,' she said. And cancer most definitely changed the star's outlook in so many different ways. Samantha tells us she's become more pragmatic, won't suffer fools, and is trusting and listening to herself a lot more than she once did. I feared the feeling of being out of control, and red devil chemo in particular felt really frightening Samantha Womack She said: 'I've definitely changed as a human. If I feel like I need a break, or feel like I need a check up, or if I'm actually really not comfortable with a job or I'm uncomfortable with a group of people, I just trust my voice in my head so much more than I ever did. 'If I feel like something is wrong, not just health-wise, just anything, if I feel like something's not a good fit for me, I'm far more confident now to be able to say, 'Do you know what? I just don't think this is for me. And that's because my perception has shifted.' Advertisement Samantha's shift in perception has also altered the way she views her finances, with the star admitting to having 'far less money than she ever had,' but for good reason. She explained: 'My biggest paranoia and, not even paranoia, my biggest anxiety was about financial stability because I didn't have it growing up. I had a precarious start in life and I craved that financial security that would keep me physically safe. 'I'd be in a house, and I'd control my environment. And I think work became attached to that for me, it became about financial security. and I think what's happened since the diagnosis is I'm in no better position financially than I was. I'm still a jobbing actor. I still, if I've got paid for one good job, it could be up to a year before I want to take another job or get offered another job. 'So I'm actually turning down more work now than I ever have, and I have far less money than I've ever had, but it's a weird thing for me because normally, as my bank balances disappears, that anxiety would normally keep me awake at night, and I still worry about it, but it doesn't take over my entire body because I know I'm safe. 'I'm safe because I have me, I have my brain, I have my body, and I have my health . Don't be distracted with all the other kinds of sparkly bits of life. If you've got a concern, if you've got any niggling worries, there are places you can go to get checked.' Advertisement On the topic of getting checked, Samantha is trying to educate women about the importance of knowing their breast density, for a Genesis Care campaign named 'Keep Abreast of your Breast Density.' While mammograms are a great screening tool for many women, for those with dense breasts it is harder to spot anything out of the ordinary, and cancer can be missed. Dense breast tissue is found in approximately half of women who are aged forty or above and worryingly, women with extremely dense breasts are six times more likely to get breast cancer than those with fatty breasts. Discussing her mission to educate, Samantha explained: 'We often think of breast cancer as something that happens to women after menopause , and that's dictated by the NHS calling us in for mammograms after the age of 50. 'But obviously we know now that cancer is now far more prevalent in all ages and breast cancer numbers are through the roof. What I love about the campaign is, as I've understood through my own journey, information is power .' Advertisement She praised the younger women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer for speaking out on social media, from Jessie J to EastEnders star Kara Tointon. 'Genesis Care is doing this amazing thing, where they are informing women about what dense breasts are following their mammogram, which I'd never heard of. I did loads of reading, loads of treatments, but no one had ever told me to test my breast density. And the statistics are really important. If you're D category and extremely dense, you're six times more likely to get cancer. We know now that cancer is now far more prevalent in all ages and breast cancer numbers are through the roof Samantha Womack 'To get checked is probably the same price as you taking your car for an MOT, or a weekend away or, you know, and even if you're low income, you could save up for a year and hopefully try and get enough.' GenesisCare has also launched a new screening service where patients who have dense breast tissue can benefit from a rapid breast MRI scan for early detection of cancer. These scans, which aren't widely available as standard screening unless you have a very high risk of breast cancer, are now available privately at GenesisCare centres in Oxford and Windsor. 8 Samantha's shift in perception has also altered the way she views her finances Credit: BBC Advertisement 8 Sam with Emmerdale partner Oliver Farnworth 8 Samantha said her initial response was to 'protect' her kids from the news Credit: INSTAGRAM 8 Samantha is trying to educate women about their breast density for a Genesis Care campaign Credit: Getty 8
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Olivia Newton-John documentary in the works
On Tuesday, editors at Deadline reported that Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham is working on a project about the late Hollywood legend for Netflix. According to a press release, the film will chronicle Newton-John's childhood in England and Australia as well as her early pursuit of a career in the music industry. In addition, the documentary will explore her rise to fame alongside John Travolta in the iconic 1978 musical film, Grease. "In her own words, through vivid archival and via reminiscences from close friends and collaborators,..."
See - Sada Elbalad
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Documentary about Olivia Newton-John in works
Yara Sameh Major news for fans hopelessly devoted to Olivia Newton-John: a documentary in production about the late singer and actress will be heading to Netflix. The giant streamer announced on Tuesday the untitled project is being directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham (Crip Camp, The Disappearance of Shere Hite). The documentary – from R.J. Cutler's This Machine (a division of Sony Pictures Television) – will explore 'the music, life, and magic of beloved pop star and cultural phenom Olivia Newton-John,' according to a release. '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, who was born in England and moved with her family to Australia at the age of five, began her music career in her teens. In 1973, she reached the top 10 on the U.S. charts with the country tune 'Let Me Be There,' which also earned her a Grammy, but triggered some backlash among purists unhappy that a non-American or Canadian would be singing in that genre. Later, she found crossover success with the pop-flavored songs 'I Honestly Love You' and 'Have You Never Been Mellow.' Even greater fame awaited when she teamed up with John Travolta for the movie musical Grease in 1978; it became a box office smash and yielded numerous hit singles, including 'You're the One that I Want,' 'Hopelessly Devoted to You,' and 'Summer Nights.' The follow-up musical "Xanadu" (1980), in which she costarred with screen legend Gene Kelly, failed to live up to "Grease", but the movie's title single became a hit. During a career that alternated between the recording studio and the soundstage, she won four Grammys, six American Music Awards, a Daytime Emmy, and a Golden Globe nomination for her work in Grease. Beloved for her sunny personality and charm, she devoted herself to environmental causes and later became an advocate for cancer research and testing after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 1990s. She faced several recurrences of breast cancer and died in 2022 at the age of 73. '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,' the release notes. 'By discovering how to stay true to her beliefs, Olivia changed our culture for the better, bending it towards kindness, inclusivity, and love.' In a statement, director Nicole Newnham said, 'Olivia always signed her letters 'love and light' and that is the shimmering and hopeful legacy she has left us. As a young girl, I fell in love with her, listening to Grease on the record player on repeat. But this unique filmmaking journey – deep into the archives and into the amazing community of Olivia's close friends and family – has revealed a complex and extraordinary woman whose impact on the world is still rippling outwards.' R.J. Cutler and This Machine credits include "Billie Elish: The World's a Little Blurry" for Apple TV+; "Elton John: Never Too Late", for Disney+, and "Martha", Cutler's documentary about Martha Stewart for Netflix. 'This Machine is so thrilled to be working with Netflix again— building on the success of Martha and Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful,' Cutler said in a statement. 'And we are so honored to be working with the brilliant director Nicole Newnham again — with whom we had the great pleasure of collaborating on The Disappearance of Shere Hite.' Producers of the untitled Olivia Newton-John film are This Machine's R.J. Cutler, Elise Pearlstein and Trevor Smith, and Margaret Yen, along with Howard Gertler. 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