John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s performances in Grease are unforgettable, and no other couple has been able to really replicate the electricity of their roles as Danny Zuko and Sandra Dee since the movie musical came out in 1978. But legendary Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman certainly tried back in 2001. Oh, I’ll tell you more.
Twenty years ago, John Travolta and Hugh Jackman were co-stars in the action thriller Swordfish alongside Halle Berry and Don Cheadle. While promoting the movie in Australia, somehow the pair ended up trying a duet of “Summer Lovin.” Here’s how it went:
Uh… why didn’t they continue? That was incredible. During an interview on Rove McManus talk show in Australia, John Travolta started singing Danny and Sandy’s opening number from Grease, and Hugh Jackman did Oliva Newton-John’s parts. You can tell Hugh Jackman is a bit nervous and smitten with Travolta as he sings his famous Grease song, but he brought it! If only Swordfish had been a musical.
Seriously though, these two have some incredible song-and-dance talent, and they were in the same movie and didn’t get to sing together? It’s basically a crime. At least we have this adorable clip of the pair, but Hugh Jackman is questioning why he even agreed to it in the Instagram post. The real question is whether they didn’t do more together?
The actors have had some similarities in their careers in more ways than one over the years. John Travolta has done a bit of the musicals, but also done his fair share of serious and memorable roles and so has Hugh Jackman. They both seem to be family oriented as well, though Travolta has had a tragic few years since losing his son and wife Kelly Preston just last year.
Someday it would be fun to see the pair do a duet together for real, but for the time being, this throwback video of the two of them together is completely adorable. Hugh Jackman reminisced on the press tour as Swordfish turns 20 this summer. By no means is the movie itself something that either of these actors go on about considering the movie budgeted at $100 million just cut the check with a $147 million worldwide gross, as well as suffered from negative reviews. It was made at a time when the internet and “cyberspace” were newer concepts Hollywood was trying to explore, but, well, did anyone quite do it like The Matrix?
Grease is coming back as a prequel called Summer Lovin’, which is being directed by Brett Haley of Hearts Beat Loud and Netflix’s All The Bright Places. Haley told us last year that Summer Lovin’ will be a full-on musical. Can we put Hugh Jackman in the ring?
