Aussie biopics, our bread and butter of special-Sunday-night-television-events. Tonight, we copped our first look at our next two-part biopic, Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You. As you can guess by the name, the two-part series will give us Olivia through the decades as she climbed to fame and the hurdles in the midst of it all.
Part One aired tonight and naturally, a lot of Aussies gave it a shot because Aussie darling and woman people love to hate or hate to love, Delta Goodrem stars as Olivia.
The series was also shot in Melbourne so it’s always cool to support local talent and television.
So tonight we got young Olivia, played by Morgan Griffin, who absolutely smashed it in her role as a bubbly teenage Olivia. Fun fact, Morgan also played a young Delta in her Innocent Eyes music video way back in the day. Onya Morgan!
When I was 18, Morgan Griffin @griffindorm played the younger version of me in the #InnocentEyes music video. Now all these years later and it’s happened again in #Olivia … #FullCircle ✨#Magic xx pic.twitter.com/OukoRIcGoI
— Delta Goodrem (@DeltaGoodrem) May 13, 2018
Then about 50 minutes after we catch Delta at the beginning of the episode we finally see Delta as Olivia again as she begins to deal with professional and romantic hurdles and failures.
During the show, Delta took to her social medias to post about tonight’s premiere writing, “Playing the role of Olivia was an absolute honour and moment I’ll never forget”.
Anywhoo, people got tweeting and opinions are all over the spectrum. Some people love it, some people hate it, but it’s definitely better than whatever the biopic Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story was but hasn’t quite reached the epicness that was the INXS biopic.
Everyone also agreed Morgan was the absolute standout of the first episode.
So you have the people who liked it:
https://twitter.com/Dean_Machine_/status/995618903857418241
I really enjoyed that. @DeltaGoodrem and @griffindorm we’re great 💖 Bring on the conclusion next week. #HopelesslyDevotedToYou #Olivia
— ❤️🤍Guy❤️🤍 (@greysfan) May 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/TaylahJayne_/status/995635292106190855
Have you noticed Delta does that gaspy thing that #Olivia does in the middle of phrases? Spooky. I think Delta is the perfect choice to portray her. Wondering how Livvy will feel about it though, given there was no consultation 😒 #ONJ
— Fiona Lamb (@fionalamby) May 13, 2018
Look, it might be bad and I’m probably biased but I don’t think it’s because of Delta. All TV biopics are like this!! #OLIVIA
— Andrew (@AndrewPatrick_) May 13, 2018
#Olivia loving this story about one of our national treasures
— W.B. (@Belly035) May 13, 2018
I’m enjoying ‘Olivia Newton John Hopelessly Devoted to You’.. @DeltaGoodrem has the personality, voice & stunning smile to make this believable & I’m loving her performance #Olivia
— Sharon (@PeaceChild4) May 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/deansgaljo/status/995637920315785216
#Olivia @DeltaGoodrem shines as Olivia she has done her proud tonight. I cannot wait for the conclusion Sunday week. Well done to cast and crew on what was an enjoyable night’s viewing. @Channel7 📺🙏🎉🇦🇺
— Scott Whitley (@ScottWhitley11) May 13, 2018
And then the people who hated it:
This #Olivia production feels like it was made by a bunch of year 12 work experience kids.
— Sam 🌈🍫🍰🍦 (@WittySam) May 13, 2018
Ugh, can we Aussies just stop doing biopics? We’re so goddamn cringy and we just don’t have the budget. I could play Travolta better than this guy, I’m already Italian! #Olivia
— seapunk aesthete 💮 (@artpunkamor) May 13, 2018
#Olivia My mum just text me and said ‘god they get the outfits of the 60’s so wrong. More like Halloween costumes’.
— Gidgit VonLaRue (@GidgitVonLaRue) May 13, 2018
This #Olivia Biopic is boring. I like Delta but she was a wrong choice for this.
— Robbie (@RobbieShenton) May 13, 2018
This. Is. Bad. And Delta is still yet to appear😂 #OliviaHopelesslyDevotedToYou #OliviaNewtonJohn #olivia
— Jo🤗 (@jojoeyjo9) May 13, 2018
#Olivia this is appalling dross, shocking wigs , shocking dialogue, shocking production values , no wonder the real ONJ was discreetly distancing herself from this shit
— M’lud (@purevision69) May 13, 2018
Delta displays as much sadness of the death of Travolta’s dead girlfriend as I do for this woeful display of Aussie drama. #Olivia
— Sam 🌈🍫🍰🍦 (@WittySam) May 13, 2018
No one has decided on accent on this show #hopelesslydevotedtoyou
— kelly fastuca (@kellyfastuca) May 13, 2018
Ads also suck:
https://twitter.com/slbmelb/status/995644952896978944
In other news, Delta has a new album called Love is a Gift out featuring the real Olivia. It’s got all the tunes from the biopic plus duets.
If you’re keen or completely forgot about Mother’s Day and need a gift now, then click HERE.
Channel 7 will air Part Two next Sunday at 8:30pm.
