Kelly Preston lost her battle to cancer in summer 2020 but her friend Olivia Newton-John, who is also battling cancer, hopes her memory and nonprofit work inspires others.
The “Grease” star, 72, recalled working with the late actress on a special video aimed to pass legislation to help keep children away from pesticides that would potentially harm them.
“Kelly was a lovely, beautiful woman, both inside and out,” Newton-John told Fox News. “She had a very sweet, gentle spirit. And we shared care for the environment. We made a video together when her baby was born and when [my daughter] Chloe was a young baby. We made a video at our home for the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition about pesticides and things that you have under your sink that can be dangerous for children.”
“Kelly and I were the hosts of that video. And we went to Washington together also to change legislation with Nancy and Jim Chuda, who started the foundation. So that was my very special time with Kelly. I saw her over the years, but she was a beautiful person,” Newton-John recalled.
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN SAYS KELLY PRESTON’S DEATH ‘KEEPS ME GOING’ IN FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
The actress and her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, 39, released a duet and music video titled, “Window in the Wall,” and both hope the song provides healing during an extremely stressful and divisive year.
(L-R) Actors Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta and Kelly Preston in 2002.
(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
“I just hope that it affects people the way it affected me,” Newton-John said. “I mean, this song was sent to me by a woman that I’ve only met a few times, and she sent it to me saying, ‘I really believe you need to record this song.’ I was very doubtful but the feeling that I got, I felt emotional and I felt it was really an important song. I wasn’t planning on singing at all. But when I heard the lyrics about how we have forgotten how to love, I mean, there’s such tension on the planet and the lyrics are so profound about how we should be respecting other people’s opinions even if we don’t agree with them.”
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN ‘FEELING GREAT’ SINCE CANCER DIAGNOSIS THREE YEARS AGO
The Australian-native added how as a community she hopes this year can bring “love and forgiveness in all things that we do.”
“I think we have forgotten that a bit. I think that this time on the planet has separated us, which is really a shame,” she said.
Lattanzi echoed her mother’s sentiment. She told Fox News, “I go out in my life every day going, ‘How can I improve another human being’s life regardless of their points of view?’ I think people really need to be kind, and especially if someone doesn’t share the same viewpoint as you.”
Newton-John isn’t a stranger to duets. She’s recorded dozens over her long music career and told Fox News that one of her proudest moments was “singing at the Olympics for Australia in the year 2000 with John Farnham.”
She added how singing “Suddenly” with Cliff Richard and singing in “Grease” with John Travolta were also special moments for her.
(L-R): Chloe Lattanzi and mom Olivia Newton-John.
(Michelle Day)
Lattanzi said having a mother in the music industry inspired her to pursue a similar path but warned about the perils of being famous.
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“Do it because you love it and for no other reason than that, no other reason,” she advised. “I want to make another person feel something… I want to touch someone. If you come from that place, you won’t be disappointed. And you’ll be honest because the [music] business and the industry is much different than the artistry.”
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She added, “I would say don’t think about fame and all that nonsense. It doesn’t bring you happiness. Think about how you can be of service and how you can connect with other human beings.”
“Window in the Wall” is available now for download.
