A Christmas Romance
Chances are, you know Olivia Newton-John. You may know her as a country-pop rock crossover singer, who scored big with songs like Let Me Be There,
Have You Never Been Mellow,
Physical,
and Soul Kiss.
Maybe you're familiar with her acting career, from her starring roles in the musical, feature-film version of Grease
to the less-than-blockbusting Two of a Kind.
Perhaps her name conjures up images of a devout environmentalist. Or, maybe you remember her July 1992 announcement that she was stepping out of the public spotlight to wage a battle with breast cancer.
Tonight at 9, Newton-John, 46, returns to the public arena for the first time in two years with the CBS telefilm, A Christmas Romance,
playing a down-on-her- luck widow who finds love where she least expects it Gregory Harrison and Newton-John's real-life, 8-year- old daughter, Chloe Rose, co-star. It may seem strange for Newton-John to return in, of all things, a made-for-TV movie. But the singer/actress/environmentalist, speaking only a day after wrapping the film's tiring 20-day shoot, didn't think it at all unusual. I liked the story, I liked the premise, I liked the way it was written,
she says.
A Christmas Romance
also afforded mother and enriching experiences.' daughter a chance to spend valuable, quality time together following a very difficult time in their lives. Newton-John admits it was being ill that let her allow her daughter to begin acting at such an early age. Had I not gone through this, knowing how delicate life is, I might have said, 'No, I'll wait until she's 12, or 15,
she says.
Ironically, Newton-John herself wasn't planning on stepping back into the public spotlight so soon - if ever. I thought I'd stay on the farm and be a mom,
she says.
It's not surprising that she would want to retreat. The actress/singer was still reeling from watching her 60-store fashion clothing chain, Koala Blue, go belly up when she got the cancer diagnosis. She was forced to cancel a comeback U.S. tour to undergo treatment. Newton-John underwent a partial mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy treatments, to treat the cancer that had, luckily, been caught in its early stages.
Suddenly, a woman whose milestones once included winning four Grammys found herself embracing a whole new set of values. I'd have little goals,
she says, talking of the months during her treatment that she spent quietly with daughter and her husband, actor Matt Lattanzi. Newton-John completed treatment in April, 1993, then headed for her Australian farm to heal physically, mentally and emotionally. It was at this time, she says, that she began waking up in the middle of the night with songs forming in her mind. This creative spurt led to GAIA: One Woman's Journey,
Newton-John's first album consisting exclusively of her own material. The cathartic, reflective music not only helped her in her recovery, but, it will, she hopes, touch other women who've shared the same experiences.
While not yet released in the U.S., GAIA
(a name for the spirit of Mother Earth,
she says) landed in the Top 10 during its first week of release in Australia.
Newton-John looks back at her illness as a valuable lesson. I felt it was one of my life-enriching experiences,
she says. The way I think of it, it must have happened for a reason.
And, most importantly, Newton-John learned the importance of living each day to the fullest. Do things while you can ... and don't hesitate to take an opportunity that should be grabbed with both hands,
she says. Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow?
By Christi Slewinski