John Travolta shocked fans when he was unable to attend Olivia Newton-John’s state memorial service last Sunday.
The couple had been close friends since they starred together in the 1978 musical Grease, but John was nowhere to be seen during the celebrity tributes for the late superstar, nor did he send a video tribute or attend in person.
The American actor may have stayed away due to tensions with Olivia’s husband, John Easterling, according to a new report.
Woman’s Day has claimed that Travolta and Easterling “rumored to have had a strained relationship” and “didn’t agree.”
This could explain why Travolta avoided the occasion, which saw Easterling take the stage to pay a lengthy emotional tribute to his late wife.
John Travolta shocked fans when he was unable to attend Olivia Newton-John’s state memorial service last Sunday. Pictured together
The American actor may have stayed away due to tensions with Olivia’s husband John Easterling (left), according to a new report
“Travolta’s close relationship with Olivia, which he spoke about publicly and often, may not have suited her husband well,” an insider claimed.
Easterling is said to have been uncomfortable with Travolta’s loving tributes to Olivia after her death, which he shared on social media.
“Put yourself in his shoes,” the alleged source said, adding that it “was the straw that broke [Easterling’s] return’.
Travolta paid a special tribute to Newton-John on his Instagram Stories on her 74th birthday last year.
The two stars first met on the set of Grease (pictured) in 1978 and maintained a strong friendship for 44 years until her death
Easterling is said to have been uncomfortable with Travolta’s loving tributes to Olivia after her death, which he shared on social media
Shortly after her sudden death, John shared a heartfelt post on his Instagram, writing that her “impact was incredible.”
The Grease actor, 69, remembered his former co-star and close friend by wishing her a happy birthday.
The actress died on August 8, 2022 after her 2017 stage four breast cancer returned. Her death sparked a wave of tributes as people around the world mourned her death.
The ‘Saturday Night Fever’ star uploaded a photo of Olivia and herself from their iconic roles as Danny and Sandy in the 1978 musical film ‘Grease.’
He typed “Happy Birthday my Olivia” in a caption below the photo, which he shared on his Instagram story.
Shortly after Olivia’s sudden death, John had posted a tribute on his main Instagram page as he mourned her passing.
That tension could explain why Travolta avoided the occasion when Easterling took the stage (pictured) to pay a lengthy emotional tribute to his late wife
The two actors were spotted together attending a party for Grease
He had written: “My dearest Olivia, you have made all of our lives so much better. Her impact was incredible. I love you so much.’
“See you on the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the moment I saw you and forever,” he typed, adding, “Your Danny, your John!”
The two stars first met on the set of Grease in 1978 and maintained a strong friendship for 44 years until her death.
Easterling, the founder and president of the Amazon Herb Company, met Newton-John in the mid ’90s.
They wed in June 2008 in a spiritual Incan ceremony in Peru, followed nine days later by a legal ceremony on Jupiter Island in Florida.
John and Olivia were spotted together at Grease’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2018