Getty Matt Lattanzi and Olivia Newton-John
Matt Lattanzi was the first husband of singing legend Olivia Newton-John, who died on August 8, 2022.
TMZ broke the news that the “Grease” star passed away at the age of 73.
The entertainment site confirmed Newton-John’s death with John Easterling, her second and last husband. Today, Lattanzi keeps a low public profile. He is a former actor. He is now 63-years-old and living in Oregon, according to online records.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Lattanzi Is the Father of Newton-John’s Daughter, Chloe
Newton-John and Lattanzi had a daughter together named Chloe Lattanzi, her only child. The girl was born in 1986, according to The Sun.
In 2013, Chloe discussed her battles with drugs and anorexia in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“I don’t recognize myself,” she said of videos from her younger years. “It embarrasses me…It’s just really sad because I was just a little girl, and now I look at it and I look like a walking skeleton.”
2. The Marriage With Lattanzi, Who Described Newton-John as a ‘Living Beam of Light,’ Crumbled in the 1990s
According to Reuters, the couple divorced in the 1990s “after he had an affair.”
In the early 1990s, Newton-John dealt with a number of setbacks, including a bankruptcy and the breast cancer diagnosis, but she “bounced back,” the Orlando Sentinel reported.
In 1993, Lattanzi spoke about her passion for the environment in an interview with the Spokesman-Review.
At that time they were were living with Chloe on a ranch in Australia. “It’s a much simpler life for us,” Lattanzi told the newspaper. “And a much happier one.”
In that interview, he described Olivia, who he referred to as “Livy,” as a “living beam of light.” He added of her battle even then with breast cancer, “How could any cancer live in all that light?”
3. Lattanzi Is an Actor
According to his IMDb profile, Lattanzi is an actor.
“Matt Lattanzi was born on February 1, 1959 in Portland, Oregon, USA. He is an actor, known for Roxanne (1987), Xanadu (1980) and Grease 2 (1982). He was previously married to Olivia Newton-John,” the profile reads.
It says that he was married to Newton-John from 1984 through 1995. “His paternal grandparents were Italian immigrants. His mother had Polish ancestry,” the profile reads.
4. Some People Thought Lattanzi & Newton-John Were an ‘Odd Match’
According to People Magazine, Newton-John was 10 years older than Lattanzi.
The couple “met on the set of Xanadu in 1979,” people made, saying that those who knew them considered Lattanzi and Newton-John an “odd match.”
“She was the daughter of a British professor of German literature; he was the son of a maintenance foreman from Oregon. She was the recording star who helped make Grease the second most successful musical film ever (The Sound of Music ranks first); he was an unknown backup dancer,” People reported.
The article says that Newton-John enjoyed herbal tea and meditation, whereas Lattanzi, who was only 20 when they met, liked to “fish, scuba dive and hang out with the boys.”
Their relationship was “like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole,” People magazine quoted a friend as saying.
5. Newton-John Went on to Marry Her Second Husband in 2008
GettyNewton-John and her husband
Newton John’s second and last husband, John Easterling, told TMZ that she died peacefully at her Southern California ranch. According to TMZ, he told the site that Newton-John was “surrounded by family and friends.”
What was her cause of death?
A source told TMZ that Newton-John lost a decades-long struggle with breast cancer, saying, “After a 30-year cancer journey, she lost her battle to metastatic breast cancer.”
In 2020, Newton-John posted a tribute to Easterling on her Instagram page for their anniversary. In it, she revealed they were married in Peru.
“Seems like yesterday I married the man of my dreams in Peru on the winter solstice 12 wonderful years ago! Happy Anniversary my darling @therealamazonjohn and thank you Gregg for capturing these special moments🧡 #love #anniversary #amazonjohn #wintersolstice #peru #amazon,” she wrote.
They married in 2008, according to Investigation Discovery.
According to Survivor.net, Easterling has earned the nickname “Amazon John” because he “is a long-time advocate for plant-based medicine.”
GettyOlivia Newton John with daughter Chloe attend Steve Irwin Memorial Day at Australia Zoo on November 15, 2007 on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.
Throughout the years, Newton-John had her share of trauma in other relationships. The most dramatic moment came when her boyfriend was reported missing.
It later turned out that he was working in Mexico, according to Investigation Discovery Channel. However, those claims have never been firmly substantiated.
According to Investigation Discovery Channel, Patrick McDermott, a cameraman who had been dating Newton-John for nine years, faked his own death when he disappeared during a fishing trip.
READ NEXT: Olivia Newton-John’s Cause of Death
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Matt Lattanzi, Olivia Newton-John’s Ex Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know