Mum's The Word
Olivia Newton-John won’t discuss her future with Wild Life or split from Matt…but she had plenty to talk about after reuniting with her mother.
Olivia Newton-John has finished her two-year filming commitment to Wild Life, ending this series with a trip to Far North Queensland with her mother Irene. Olivia and her mother spent two weeks on Lizard Island and in the Daintree rainforest.
Leaving her daughter, Chloe, at school near their home in northern NSW, it was a chance for Olivia and Irene, a sprightly 83-year old, to spend time together while Olivia filmed stories for the Nine Network series. Irene, a keen photographer who rises early- including 5am swims on Lizard Island - usually visits her daughter in Los Angeles from her home in Melbourne once a year. She loved the opportunity to explore Far North Queensland with Olivia.
Surprisingly, it was our Livvy’s first ever trip to the Barrier Reef or Cairns. Her reports from there will screen later this year. Before arriving in the Daintree, Olivia conquered her fear of the ocean by scuba diving off Lizard Island. “I was always afraid of going under the ocean.” Olivia says. “They said we’d like you to go to the bottom and feed these giant cod.” I said, “I don’t think so”
“When I got there it was crystal clear and within 25 minutes I was diving in the shallows. It was beautiful. Just stunning.” After Lizard Island, Olivia and her mother headed to Cairns and the Daintree where they explored the rainforest and visited a nature reserve.
Olivia is now negotiating with the Wild Life producers as to whether she will sign for the next series. “I love it” she says, “when you get to go to places like this. I’d like to do all the island stories. All the blue water stories!”
Olivia admits she had no idea the series would be as successful as it has been. “I was hoping, but there was no way of knowing,” she says. “I did the series because I thought it was important to do.”
Aside from avoiding questions about her private life and her split from husband Matt Lattanzi, Olivia’s life is shaping up this year to be just as busy as 1995. This year, as well as the promotion and publicity to be done here and overseas of her latest film, It’s My Party, and the release in the US of her album Gaia, Olivia’s biggest project will be her role in a new movie to be filmed in Australia.
“It’s with Scott Young (the executive producer of Wild Life), but it’s still too early to talk about,” she says. “Filming should start around May in Sydney and near my home in northern NSW,” Olivia says.