John Travolta's Heartfelt Nod To Olivia Newton-John At 2023 Oscars Had Us All Choked Up

Every year at the Oscars, the Academy pays tribute to past Oscar winners and nominees who have passed away since the last award show. The 2023 Oscars were no exception. During the "Oscars In Memoriam" segment, notable stars, including composer Burt Bacharach, who won three Oscars, and Irene Cara, famous for her role in the 1980 musical "Fame." Actors Angela Lansbury and Louise Fletcher were also honored, in addition to French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard who died in September 2022, and two-time Oscar nominee Wolfgang Peterson.

For this year's Oscars In Memoriam segment, John Travolta — who has had his fair share of loss over the years — was asked to do the introduction. In 1977, Travolta lost his then-girlfriend Diana Hyland to breast cancer. Despite moving on and finding love with Kelly Preston, tragedy struck again when the couple's 16-year-old son Jett died during a Christmas vacation in 2009. And then, in 2020, Preston, Travolta's wife of nearly 30 years, passed away after being diagnosed with breast cancer two years earlier. "She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many," Travolta wrote in a post announcing her death. "Kelly's love and life will always be remembered."

In the years that have passed, the "Hairspray" actor has opened up about coping with his many losses. "Grief is personal and finding your own path is what could lead to healing," Travolta once admitted to Esquire Mexico. However, at the 2023 Oscars, Travolta showed us firsthand what grief could look like — and just how much he misses his dear friend Olivia Newton-John.

As John Travolta took the stage to introduce the "Oscars In Memoriam" segment, he delivered a powerful speech that moved him to tears. He started by recognizing the importance of honoring those who dedicated their lives to entertainment, acknowledging that it is a privilege for entertainers to pursue their passion. However, a few moments into his speech, the "Welcome Back, Kotter" star got visibly emotional as he specifically paid tribute to his late "Grease" co-star, Olivia Newton-John. He said, "Through their immeasurable contributions, each of them left an individual and indelible mark that shared and informed us. They've touched our hearts, they've made us smile, and became dear friends, who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to," referencing Newton-John's 1978 song "Hopelessly Devoted To You."

Unsurprisingly, Travolta's heartwarming tribute sparked reactions from fans, with many taking to Twitter to acknowledge the moment. "John Travolta really trying to make your boy tear up with his emotional Olivia Newton-John shout-out...Dammit," one person wrote. "John Travolta choking on his words destroyed me. RIP Olivia Newton-John. Forever my Sandy," a second tweeted.

Following her death in August 2022, Travolta paid a touching tribute to Newton-John, who acted as his love interest in the 1978 musical. "I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the moment I saw you and forever," he wrote on Instagram.

For John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, what started as an on-screen romance soon transcended into a lifelong friendship. Five years after the release of "Grease," Travolta and Newton-John reunited to co-star in the 1983 film "Two of a Kind." In the years that followed, Travolta and Newton-John maintained their bond, ultimately becoming the best of friends. So much so that despite their busy schedules, the twosome made it a point to see each other as often as possible. "If I go to see her in her show, we go backstage and hang out, and I watch the show and all that," Travolta told US Weekly in 2019. "If I go to see her personally, we usually have dinner and catch up. And recently we've been talking about trying to do something together."

Newton-John previously opened up about her friendship with Travolta, crediting him for convincing her to take on the role of Sandy in "Grease." Per Marca, she once admitted, "I couldn't have done the film if I hadn't met John, because I wasn't sure about doing it. He convinced me." And given the length of their friendship, it is no surprise the pair have each other through difficult times. "[In tough times] John always reaches out to me," Newton-John once explained to People. Travolta added, "I've been through her having a child, getting divorced, losing her sister. She's been through my getting married, having children. It's wonderful and full of shared memories."