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 weight loss journey in 2020.
“You tried to teach me about health for 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 nice to me and it was such a blessing to get to know you Olivia.”
The ‘Pitch Perfect’ actress also reflected on the ‘Grease’ star who played her mother in their 2011 comedy ‘A Few Best Men’.
“@therealonj , you were the most beautiful lady inside and out, you are a true Aussie icon and to play your daughter on screen in A FEW BEST MEN was more than an honour,” said Wilson, who is just as Australian is like Newton John. “Seeing you star in the huge Hollywood blockbuster GREASE with your natural accent was so instrumental to me as a little girl, it helped me believe it was possible for an Aussie girl to star in major international musicals.”
Wilson noted that Newton-John, who battled breast cancer for 30 years, inspired her to audition for a part in her high school’s production of “Grease” when she was 15 years old.
She also thought about being able to hang out with her idol years later.
“I’ll never forget we sing together at the piano during our lunch break on set – what a complete legend you are!” she wrote, adding: “I’m so sad you’re gone 💗 Love and light for you always ONJ, Rebel xoxo.”
Wilson announced that in 2020 she was entering a year of health and eventually had a total body transformation.
The “Isn’t It Romantic” star shared that she ate 3000 calories a day until she gave up her habits for a high-protein diet. She also got in shape with the help of a personal trainer.
In July 2021, Wilson said she’d lost a whopping 65 pounds to have a better chance of conceiving, after telling her she was struggling with fertility issues a few months earlier.
While the “Bridesmaids” star hasn’t released any updates on her fertility journey yet, she’s been pretty busy: Wilson came out in June as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and is in a relationship with fashion designer Ramona Agruma.