How Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Honors Olivia Newton-John's Beauty Legacy

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is hopelessly devoted to Olivia Newton-John.

At least, that was the intention behind some of the beauty looks in the new Paramount+ series, which is set in 1954 and explores the story of how the iconic girl clique originated. Makeup department head Marianne Olsen revealed she pulled inspiration from Olivia's unforgettable role as Sandy Olsson in Grease—the goody-two-shoes who falls for bad boy Danny Zuko (John Travolta)—and how she honored the late actress' legacy following her death in August 2022.

"The original Grease was so iconic, there is no other Sandy and Danny," Marianne exclusively told E! News. "But we did cheat a little of her ‘look' on the character, Susan."

The makeup artist pointed out there are similarities between Sandy and Susan (Madison Thompson), with the biggest trait being that the Rise of the Pink Ladies character is "deemed perfect in appearance."

In addition to referencing the original Grease, Marianne also used Grace Kelly, Sandra Dee and Mad Men character Betty Draper (January Jones) as blueprints for Susan.

For the rest of the cast, the makeup artist took beauty cues from Hollywood's it girls of the 1950s.

"I looked at teen movies and TV shows such as Rebel without a Cause with Natalie Wood," Marianne shared. "Gidget, A Place in the Sun with Sandra Dee. The teens in Westside Story. Also taking into consideration the looks of Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few."

And while the era lends itself to ultra-glamorous looks, Marianne couldn't go over the top because, as she noted, the show still portrays teenagers in high school. But that doesn't mean she shied away from creating bold styles entirely.

The character of Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells), for instance, "decides to use her sexuality for empowerment," Marianne said. "So, we went with the Marilyn Monroe style of red lips and winged liner."

Plus, the makeup artist slightly pushed the boundaries by adding a little modernity to the cast's appearances. "We tried to stay with makeup of the '50s using matte products as much as possible," she shared. "But for the fantasy sequences, we had more fun."

Marianne said director, Alethea Jones, encouraged her to go outside of the box, referencing Euphoria and Harry Styles. "We brought some of the dance numbers to 2022 using glitter, gems, and at times, abstract eye designs," she revealed. "Lots of lashes were used."

While there's no denying the 1978 musical became a cultural phenomenon, Marianne hopes the prequel can offer something similar.

"The most rewarding for me is introducing a new Grease to those that never experienced the original," she shared of working on the series. "The talent of cast and crew is amazing."

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies premieres April 6 on Paramount+.

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