The fully authorized feature-length documentary is in partnership with music publisher Primary Wave Music
Sony Pictures Television’s This Machine has announced a deal to make a definitive documentary about Dame Olivia Newton-John, the iconic and beloved entertainer, best-selling music artist, animal rights and environmental activist and health, wellness and plant medicine advocate who passed away in August 2022 at the age of 73. The film, which will have access to her music and personal archives, is in partnership with Primary Wave Music and will be produced by R.J. Cutler, Elise Pearlstein and Trevor Smith of This Machine and executive produced by husband John Easterling, Primary Wave’s Larry Mestel and Natalia Nastaskin, John Mason and Mark Hartley. This Machine is behind the Academy Award shortlisted Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry and the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And the Years That Made His Legend for Disney+
With a career spanning over six decades with more than 100 million albums sold, Dame Olivia Newton-John’s successes include: four Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, numerous Country Music, American Music, Billboard and People’s Choice Awards, ten No. 1 hits, more than 15 top 10 singles, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and over 32 albums released. In 1978, her co-starring role with John Travolta in Grease catapulted Olivia into super-stardom, earned her a Golden Globe nomination and, to date the film remains one of the most successful movie musicals of all time. Her other feature film credits include Funny Things Happen Down Under, Toomorrow, Xanadu, Two of A Kind, It’s My Party, Sordid Lives, Score: A Hockey Musical, and A Few Best Men. As one of the world’s most beloved musical artists, Billboard Magazine ranks Olivia at No. 7 of Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Female Artists, and at No. 44 as one Billboard’s Greatest Music Acts of All-Time. Her hit “Physical” was also named the Sexiest Song of All-Time by Billboard. Newton-John is also a New York Times best-selling author with her memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’.
In 1992, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer which led her to announce her partnership with the Austin Health and the creation of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer, Wellness & Research Centre (ONJCWRC) in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. In November 2020, Olivia and Easterling established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, an independent charity sponsoring global research into plant medicine for cancer with a specific emphasis on cannabis. These investments in new scientific research will educate patients and their caregivers about kinder options for treating cancer and improving the quality of life for cancer patients. The Foundation is committed to realizing Olivia’s dream – a world beyond cancer.
