Despite a muted lead-up to Olivia Newton-john’s state funeral in Victoria last week, global superstars clamoured to be among those paying their respects to the Aussie icon.
From Dolly Parton and Elton John to Pink and Nicole Kidman, there’s no doubt Olivia, who died aged 73 last August at her California ranch after living with cancer for more than 30 years, would have been touched.
But there was one famous face missing from the stellar line-up – Olivia’s Grease co-star John Travolta, who was a no-show despite reports that he was on the list of attendees.
Fans took to social media to express surprise that John, 69, not only failed to make the journey from his home in Florida to Melbourne, but also didn’t offer condolences or memories at all.
“Where was John Travolta’s tribute?
I thought for sure he would have recorded a message,” posted one Twitter user, while another added, “I was a little perplexed by a couple of things at the memorial. Where was John Travolta’s tribute? And why did every ‘private’ photo of Olivia have [her husband John] Easterling in it?”
TENSE RELATIONSHIP
Sources tell Woman’s Day that Olivia’s 70-year-old businessman husband and her musical co-star and close friend were rumoured to have had a tense relationship and “did not see eye to eye”, which could have been the reasoning behind John’s absence.
“Travolta’s close relationship with Olivia, which he talked about publicly and often, may not have sat well with her husband,” says the insider.
Indeed, John made no secret of his feelings for the Aussie star, declaring that they “loved each other”, while fellow Grease star Didi Conn told the media that John did fancy Olivia at the time.
John hinted as much in his heartbreaking Instagram tribute to Olivia last year, declaring he was “yours from the moment I saw you”, and signing off with “Your Danny, Your John!” in a nod to their popular characters, onscreen lovers Sandy Olsson and Danny Zuko.
One insider speculates the intimate tribute was “the straw that broke John
‘The day must have felt incomplete without him’
[Easterling’s] back”. “Put yourself in his shoes,” says the source. “He’s just lost his beloved wife, and before he’s had a chance to post a tribute of his own, John Travolta – who is well aware fans always wanted them to be together – beats him to it. It’s no surprise there might be tension between them.”
DISTRAUGHT DAUGHTER
Meanwhile, Woman’s Day understands that Olivia’s 37-year-old daughter Chloe Lattanzi was “so sad” the actor wasn’t by her side.
“She loves her stepfather, but John [Travolta] has been part of her mum’s life since before she was born,” says an insider. “The day must have felt incomplete without him.”
DANKE KAY
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