Olivia's Getting Physical About Her Image
New York - Olivia Newton-John hasn’t always been the most accessible personality around. No, the gorgeous Aussie didn’t have a falling out with the press either. She’s been known to be a bit demure, which isn’t hard to understand considering the romantic nature of her past musical successes.
But when Olivia took the plunge into film making opposite John Travolta in “Grease,” we began to see a slow transformation from a shy and somewhat sheltered superstar, to an in-dependent career girl who has boldly asserted herself professionally and socially.
Yes, there is a distinct correlation between Sandy. Olivia’s “Grease” character and her own being, which is why the 33 year old (she looks 23) beauty chose that as her first movie vehicle.
“I’ve always had a kind of Doris Day image which will probably always stick with me,” Olivia told me from her home in Malibu. “It’s kind of nice at 33 to be thought of like that. but it is not realistic.”
When asked whether she was more like “old” Sandy as opposed to the “new” Sandy, Olivia teased, “I’ll leave that to your imagination… well. I’ll tell you, there’s a little bit of both in me When I was younger, I was more like “old” Sandy, but now I’m a little different.”
Damn the torpedos
Hence, we have the Physical LP which features Olivia in an entirely new light. It was risky, almost chutzpah-like, but it is ultimately proving to be a brilliant stroke of genius, ‘cause it has not only stayed on top of the charts for the last three months, but Physical has also spawned a TV special for ABC this week.
“It will be very different from what’s been done on TV before. I did the whole album on videotape with the musical lyrics. It’s music and visuals - no comedy. I think this kind of thing is an important medium in music, which I may use as a concept for an album next time,” she added.
Although she doesn’t look like the type of woman who would cause a ruckus with her music, she did cause quite a brouhaha in Japan recently, when she canceled a tour because the local fisherman were slaughtering dolphins. As you’ll see on the special this week. Olivia has a particular fondness for the species.
“I tried to explain to them that I wasn’t picking on them. I told them that it was an international problem. Dolphins are an intelligent species.”
We have no right to destroy things and just bump them off,” the superstar painfully explained.
As of this writing, I’m glad to report that the problem with the Japanese has been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction - at least for now anyway.
Photo caption: SALUTING DOLPHINS Olivia Newton-John, who is an oceanside dweller in Malibu Beach, sings a song saluting the dolphins who gladden her days in "Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical," an hour of music airing. on the ABC Television Network Monday from 10 to 11 p.m.
More from the Physical TV special.