“I had never met a real star before, and she certainly didn’t act like it,” says Didi Conn, who played Frenchie in the 1978 classic. Michael Tucci also spoke to Inside Edition following the beloved actor's passing.
Olivia Newton-John’s “Grease” costars are speaking out about the beloved Australian actor following her death from breast cancer at the age of 73.
“I just can’t believe it,” Didi Conn, who played fellow “Pink Lady” Frenchie in the 1978 film, tells Inside Edition.
Conn and Newton-John became fast friends with each other and stayed close for 44 years. They even traveled together.
“I had never met a real star before, and she certainly didn’t act like it,” Conn said.
Conn says she last spoke with her friend a month before she died.
“She had broken her leg and so that limited her getting around. We all knew it was coming, but she lived day to day. She didn’t call herself a survivor, she called herself a thrivier,” Conn said.
Actor Michael Tucci, who played Sonny in “Grease,” also made a friend for life in Olivia Newton-John.
“[She was] one of the kindest people I’ve ever met in my life. The minute she walked in the room, the whole room kind of lit up,” Tucci said.
News of Newton-John’s death Monday hit the world hard, especially in Australia, where she’s a national hero. One news anchor broke down in tears.
Newton-John’s niece was also overcome with emotion as she appeared on morning television in Australia. The family was offered a state funeral for Newton-John, which they will accept.
Newton-John battled breast cancer for 30 years. She spoke to Inside Edition in 2008, when she was in remission.
“Life for me is a gift. Everyday I’m grateful for being here,” she said.
In her last couple of years, Newton-John established an independent charity sponsoring global cancer research.
Other celebrities are also paying tribute to the actor, including Rita Wilson and Kate Hudson. Scores of her fans are also honoring her in singing tributes posted online.
