She was hopelessly devoted to health.
Rebel Wilson recalled how the late Olivia Newton-John, a vocal advocate for breast cancer awareness, taught her about health long before she embarked on her 2020 weight loss journey.
“You tried to teach me about health years before I took it seriously,” Wilson, 42, wrote in an Instagram post mourning Newton-John, who died Monday at age 73. “You were so kind to me and it was such a blessing to know you Olivia.”
The “Pitch Perfect” actress also reflected on the “Grease” star playing her mom in their 2011 comedy “A Few Best Men.”
“@therealonj , you were the most gorgeous lady inside and out, you are a true Aussie icon and to play your daughter on screen in A FEW BEST MEN was beyond an honour,” Wilson, who is Australian like Newton-John, shared. “Seeing you star in the huge Hollywood blockbuster GREASE with your natural accent was so instrumental to me as a little girl, helping me to believe that it was possible for an Aussie girl to star in huge international musicals.”
Wilson noted that Newton-John, who battled breast cancer for 30 years, inspired her to audition for a role in her high school’s production of “Grease” when she was 15 years old.
She also reflected on being able to hang out with her idol years later.
“I’ll never forget us singing at the piano in our lunch break on set together – what a complete legend you are!” she wrote, adding, “I am so sad you are gone 💗 Love and Light always to you ONJ, Rebel xoxo.”
Wilson announced that she was embarking on a year of health in 2020 and ended up having a total body transformation.
The “Isn’t It Romantic” star shared that she used to eat 3,000 calories a day until giving up her habits for a high-protein diet. She also got in shape with the help of a personal trainer.
In July 2021, Wilson shared that she had shed an impressive 65 pounds in order to have a better chance of getting pregnant after sharing a few months earlier that she was struggling with fertility issues.
While the “Bridesmaids” star has yet to give any updates on her fertility journey, she has been quite busy: Wilson came out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in June and is dating fashion designer Ramona Agruma.
