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John Travolta teared up on stage at the Oscars in remembrance of his dear friend and late Grease co-star, Olivia Newton-John before Lenny Kravitz performed "Calling All Angels" to memorialize the beloved industry icons who lost their lives in 2022 and 2023. Travolta's voice trembled as he hinted at the title of Newton-John's hit single, "Hopelessly Devoted To You," at the end of the introduction.
"In this industry we have the rare luxury of getting to do what we love for a living and sometimes getting to do it with people we come to love. And since tonight is a celebration of the work and the accomplishments of our community in this past year, it is only fitting then that we celebrate those we've lost who’ve dedicated their lives to their craft both in front of and behind the camera. Through their immeasurable contributions each of them left an individual mark that shared and informed us. They've touched our hearts, made us smile, and became dear friends who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to."
Others mentioned among those who lost their lives included Robbie Coltrane, Ray Loitta, Irene Cara, Raquel Welch, James Caan, Gilbert Gottfried, and Angela Lansbury. Surprisingly, Anne Heche, who passed away on August 11,2022, was not named among the deceased remembered at the awards.