Emerson Newton-John, the nephew of the late Olivia Newton-John, revealed some never-before-seen footage of his beloved aunt.
The professional race car driver uploaded two clips from an unbroadcasted pilot of the show “Celebrity Car Crush” on his YouTube channel on Friday.
“Even while her health was rapidly deteriorating due to cancer and she lacked the strength she once had, glimpses of the youthful Olivia would shine through during filming,” he shared with E! News.
“That was enough to make the time and effort invested in creating our show ‘Celebrity Car Crush’ worthwhile, irrespective of whether it would ever be aired. There was no pretense; just genuine surprise, joy, and overwhelmingly positive nostalgia.”
Emerson Newton-John shared clips of working with his aunt, the late Olivia Newton-John, from a never-before-seen series. (Denise Truscello/WireImage)
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In one 30-second video, Emerson arrives at Newton-John’s house in a classic VW Bug. She says, “I learned to drive on a manual. I don’t know if I remember, but I can try.” In the next scene, she is seen driving smoothly.
“This footage was the most gratifying for me to revisit because I remember the excitement leading up to filming this segment, wondering how she would react to the surprise I had planned for her. She had no idea what was coming to her driveway, especially since it was something she hadn’t seen in over 40 years!” Emerson revealed to the outlet.
“There was just pure surprise, joy, and strong feelings of only positive nostalgia.”
He mentioned it was the first car she bought in America, and being able to drive it again was significant given her health challenges.
“With her limited physical strength at that moment, and since she hadn’t driven a manual car in decades, we were wagering whether she could start the car without stalling. While I trusted her driving skills, I honestly expected her to stall it! But she not only didn’t stall it, she drove it away gracefully without a hitch! My reaction, as evident, was one of sheer amazement, shared by the entire crew.”
Emerson praised Newton-John’s skillful handling of the vintage VW bug, given her health challenges at the time. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
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In the second video, Newton-John discusses her reasoning behind choosing the VW Bug, stating she desired a “cute little convertible car for running around Malibu.”
Emerson shared with E!, “It was fascinating to learn that this car was basically all she could afford brand new back then, which adds a layer of authenticity to her character that her fans might not have encountered before.”
He continued, “One trait I always admired about my aunt was her modesty. Despite her obvious wealth, she never flaunted her success with extravagant purchases. Instead, she chose to downplay many aspects of her material possessions. No private jets, no yachts, and no flashy cars that screamed ‘look at me.’”
Emerson noted that Newton-John never flaunted her wealth with extravagant possessions. (ROBYN BECK)
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The 46-year-old concluded his remarks about the clips by expressing gratitude for his aunt, saying she was “a vital emotional support system throughout my racing career, and I know she would want nothing more than for me to continue where I left off so many years ago.”
Newton-John passed away in 2022 at the age of 73 after a prolonged battle with breast cancer.
Newton-John passed away in 2022 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. ((Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images))
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“For over 30 years, Olivia has been a beacon of determination and hope, openly sharing her journey with breast cancer,” her family stated in an Instagram post at that time.
