Mum is sweetness and light, daughter is hard rock. Yet, writes Wendy Squires, despite their musical differences, Olivia Newton-John and her daughter Chloe Lattanzi are each other’s greatest fans.

Wendy Squires takes us behind the scenes for our feature story on Olivia Newton-John

As the fading sun casts a golden glow on Los Angeles' famous Hollywood sign, Olivia Newton-John and Chloe Lattanzi are doubled over in fits of laughter. Teasing each other mercilessly, they appear more like close girlfriends than mother and daughter on the striped banana lounge they're sharing.

Asked which version of Sandy from her mother's iconic musical, Grease, Chloe would best suit - the ponytail and poodle-skirted good girl Sandy who sings Hopelessly Devoted to You, or the vixen in black tights with the high heels and attitude at the end, telling John Travolta he'd "better shape up" - both yell the answer at the same time, as if on a game show,
"Bad Sandy, for sure!"

More laughter ensues before Olivia jokingly quips, "Well, Chloe has never watched Grease anyway..."

"Yes, I have, Mum, lots of times!" Chloe counters. "We are quite opposite, in case you haven't noticed," she continues, smiling wryly. "But personality-wise, we are very similar. I think that's why we fight, because we are so alike."

Olivia nods in agreement. "Chloe is extremely focused and determined," she says, before adding, with a self-deprecating chuckle, "and I sure know where she gets that!"

There is good reason for their high spirits: both women are in happy places in their lives - no mean feat considering the challenges they have both endured so far.

Chloe admits to feeling fit and healthy, following her public battle with anorexia nervosa, and is excited at the prospect of finally realising her artistic aspirations and releasing her much-anticipated debut album.

Her mother, Olivia, who recently turned 60, also can’t hold back the smile of the truly smitten, confessing to being "very, very happy" with new husband, "Amazon John" Easterling, 57, founder of the Amazon Herb Company, who she married twice last year - once on a mountain outside the Peruvian city of Cuzco and again in a civil ceremony in Florida, her new home.

To read the rest of Hopelessly Devoted pick up a copy of our May issue — out now!

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