Where are those black pants? Catching up with Olivia Newton-John

Catching up with our favorite Grease star... Olivia Newton-John during her recent Vegas trip. She has a new CD coming out and her latest film -- Score: A Hockey Musical -- opens the Toronto Film Festival this week.

So what brings you to Vegas?

I am here for Amazon Herb Company, my husband's company. We have a yearly summit and this is our first one in Vegas. We are also celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the company, so there will be a big celebration.

What is the story behind the Amazon Herb Company?

Well, I met my husband 18 years ago and he has had the company for 20, so he had started it. I just went through breast cancer and he gave me some herbs to help with my immune system and skin care. So, I've known the products and I've loved them. I also admired him for what he was doing in the rain forest. We were just friends all those years and then we fell in love three years ago and got married two years ago. We have a showcase that's open to the public, so people can come in and see what we are going to be doing over the weekend. I will be talking about the skin care because I love it. John and his associates will be talking about the different products. There will be a panel and people will be doing talks and stuff. People will be coming to see the new products and products that are coming out, learn about them. The wonderful thing about the company is not only are the products good for you, but they are good for the planet, too. The products are good and it's good for the planet.

New film/new album

Tell me a little bit about your new album that is coming out, Grace and Gratitude: Renewed.

Well, it's an album I made four years ago and it was one of those albums that had a great reaction from people, but it didn't really reach a lot of people. So, I've gone with a new record company and they wanted me to re-release it. We have kind of rejuvenated it and put a new song in it, some duets and things, so that's coming out, and I have a movie coming out...

Called Score: A Hockey Musical, yes?

Yeah, that's going to open at the Toronto Film Festival, which is very exciting.

How did you get involved in the movie and what is your part in it?

Well... Mark Jordon, who's also a wonderful singer-songwriter, was going to play the husband, or the father figure, and they thought of me to play his wife. We were friends, and they sent me the script. I thought it sounded fun and not too long a shoot, so I went up there and we did it and I had a hoot with them and a good laugh. I had a chance to hang out with them and lo and behold it's going to open at the Toronto Film Festival. I did it for fun, you know? Now I do things for fun.

Do you really get to pick and choose what you want to do these days?

Yeah. I thought ten years ago nothing else was gonna happen, but stuff keeps happening. It's really amazing the things I have been able to do.

So, where does your heart really lie, of everything you've done?

I love songwriting and recording. Performing, I do it when I do it-there's a lot of work in it, but I do enjoy it. I love working with my husband with the herbs and the company because it's about health and healing.

Those black pants...

What would you say is the most memorable moment of your career?

Most memorable is probably Grease and singing at...opening the Olympic games in Australia.

Speaking of Grease... do you still have the black pants?

[Laughter] Oh, yes! The pants are fine, they say hello. [Laughter] I haven't tried to put them on. The zip was broken when I bought them, so I can't really sew that now, but I haven't tried. I'll just imagine.

Did you ever imagine that Grease would turn into what it's turned into?

I don't think anyone could have imagined that it would still be going now; I mean, hardly any movies do. There's a handful in history that last this long, so no, not at all.

Why do you think you have become an inspirational figure in the gay community?

I am...? No, really I think maybe its because, well one, I'm still around. [Laughter] I do think though that it could be because Im a thriver and the gay community understands that because they are always backed up against the wall when it comes to certain things and I've gone through a lot of those things and I'm still here. I think Grease and Xanadu, they are pretty visible. I sang at gay Mardi Gras in Sydney and I sang Xanadu and the place was just insane. I've made a couple of camp movies, I think that's probably why, too. I was in Sordid Lives and I played a lesbian, which was fun for me. I was also in that movie that Randal [Kleiser, writer/director] made, It's My Party. I hadn't thought of that, but that could have some bearing, too.

If you could change one thing in your career, would you do anything differently, or has everything pretty much happened according to plan?

I think everything has happened the way it was supposed to. I think I have one regret and that was a decision I made because my daughter was little. I couldn't have changed it, but I would have liked to have done it. And that was I was offered to tour with Frank Sinatra and I didn't do it. dThat is the only thing-I thought that would have been great because I loved him and he was such an amazing singer.

How do you escape it all?

That's the good thing about living in Florida. We live a quiet life there, we take the dogs for walks and we go kayaking and we swim. I like to go to the movies or stay in and cook. I like to do that, just to be at home and relaxing.

Olivia Newton-John co-stars in Score: A Hockey Musical, which opens the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2010. To pre-order Olivia Newton-John's new CD Grace and Gratitude Renewed or to learn more about her, visit