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Newton-John's career soared after starring in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, Grease, in 1978.

She was offered the lead role of Sandy after meeting producer Allan Carr at a dinner party at Helen Reddy's home.

Burned by her Toomorrow experience and concerned that she was too old to play a high school senior ( she turned 29 during the latter 1977 filming ), Newton-John insisted on a screen test with the film's co-star, John Travolta.

The film accommodated Newton-John's Australian accent by recasting her character from the play's original American Sandy Dumbrowski to Sandy Olsson, an Australian who vacations and then moves with her family to the United States.

Newton-John previewed some of the film's soundtrack during her second American network television special, Olivia, featuring guests ABBA and Andy Gibb.