Grease star Didi Conn pays tribute to late co-star Olivia Newton-John four years after her death

Four years on from Olivia Newton-John's death and Didi Conn is still singing her praises.

The actors met on Grease, where Newton-John played blonde bombshell Sandy Olsson and Conn played Frenchy.

The film industry was left devastated in 2022 when it was announced that Newton-John had passed away after a years-long battle with breast cancer. She died on August 8 at the age of 73.

"Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends," her husband John Easterling announced at the time.

He went on: "Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer."

Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022 (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Now, four years on and Conn has paid tribute to her late friend and shared a sweet anecdote about their friendship.

"She’d always do a Grease set at the end of her concert, and right before that, she’d talk to the audience," Conn told PEOPLE.

Newton-John would tell the audience, 'Sometimes in life you make a friend and then you have that friend your whole life and I have one like that here today' – then she'd call for Conn to come on stage with her.

"And I go, 'Hi, Olivia, I’m here,'" the Benson actress recalled. "The place would go nuts and then I’d come on the stage, and I became like a rock star for five minutes."

Didi Conn recalled how her late friend would bring her out on stage (David Becker/WireImage)

Conn went on to say that Newton-John would often end her concerts with her 1974 hit 'I Honestly Love You'.

"She’d stand there and sing, and she’d go like this with her hands to her audience, to her fans, say, 'I honestly love you,'" Conn said.

The 75-year-old added: "She really meant it. She meant it with all her heart. So that’s the image I have of Olivia."

Newton-John's co-stars have long been paying tribute to her after her death – John Travolta included.

The two actresses, pictured in 1998, were friends for decades (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

He penned on social media on the day of her 2022 passing: "My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better.

"Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever!

"Your Danny, your John!"

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].