LOS ANGELES: Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, who gained worldwide fame as high-school sweetheart Sandy in the hit musical movie “Grease,” died Monday, her family said. She was 73.
The entertainer, whose career spanned more than five decades, devoted much of her time and celebrity to charities after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992.
Newton-John “passed away peacefully at her ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends,” said a statement from her husband John Easterling posted on her official social media accounts.
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Olivia Newton-John, ‘Grease’ star and singer, dies aged 73
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Olivia Newton-John, ‘Grease’ star and singer, dies aged 73
- Olivia Newton-John gained worldwide fame as high-school sweetheart Sandy in the hit musical movie ‘Grease’
Mahmoud Sabbagh’s dark comedy scores new digital release deal
DUBAI: Saudi director Mahmoud Sabbagh has secured an agreement with digital film distributor and aggregator Under the Milky Way for the international digital release of his feature “Last Party in R. Desert,” according to Deadline.
The dark comedy marks the Saudi film pioneer’s third feature, following his breakthrough 2016 comedy-romance “Barakah Meets Barakah.” The film debuted on Netflix last July.
Under the new deal, “Last Party in R. Desert” will be released across multiple international territories on Apple TV, Google Play and Prime Video. The rollout will begin in the UK, Ireland and other English-speaking markets on Feb. 2, followed by a launch in the US and Canada on Feb. 3.
The film centers on Najm, a cash-driven local impresario and son of a renowned wedding singer, who is struggling to keep his music troupe afloat amid professional tensions and a shifting night scene in contemporary Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Al-Barrak stars as Najm opposite acting and singing star Marwa Salem, who plays Cola, the troupe’s new lead female singer. The cast also includes the late actor Sami Hanafi as Silver, the professional sound engineer, and renowned local musician Radwan Jifri as oud player Tarefi.
The film is expected to expand to subscription and ad-supported platforms later this year.
Sabbagh wrote and directed the feature and serves as producer under his Jeddah-based El-Housh Productions, in co-production with Cairo- and Dubai-based boutique production company Nine Project.
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