In 1977, at the age of 33, Channing was cast for the role of high school teenager Betty Rizzo in the hit musical Grease. The film was released in 1978 and her performance earned her the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture Supporting Actress.

How old was Stockard Channing when she played Rizzo in Grease?

The late Olivia Newton-John, who costarred as Sandy, was 29 at the time Grease was filmed; Stockard Channing, who played Rizzo, was the principal cast's oldest member at 33 during filming, according to a 2016 Vanity Fair article about the production.

What character did Stockard Channing played in Grease?

At age 33(!), Stockard was handed the feisty role of high-school "tough girl" Betty Rizzo in the box-office film version of the hit musical Grease (1978), starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.

Did Stockard Channing actually sing in Grease?

Stockard Channing sings lead on two of the tracks; the two tracks remain her only significant contribution to recorded popular music to date. The title track is featured twice on the soundtrack and performed by Frankie Valli, who had no other connection with the film.

Were Rizzo's hickeys real?

Rizzo's hickeys were real. Stockard Channing said in an interview that Jeff Conaway insisted on applying them himself.

What Really Happened To The Girl Who Played Rizzo In Grease?

Did John Travolta really dance in Grease?

He originally danced with Olivia Newton-John in the 1978 classic “Grease.”

What actor had a crush on Stockard Channing?

“She'd married a guy named Will Smith and now she was living with a guy named Paul Poitier. And to make matters worse, during shooting I fell in love with Stockard Channing.”

Why is her name Stockard Channing?

Susan Stockard of Park Avenue hadn't planned on being an actress until studying American history at Radcliffe, where she first smelled the greasepaint. At Harvard, she became hooked. Joining Theatre Company of Boston, she combined her maiden name with her married name to become Stockard Channing.

Was Rizzo someone else's mistake?

Rizzo : What's it to ya? Kenickie : Anything I can do? Rizzo : You did enough! Rizzo : Don't worry about it Kenickie, it was somebody else's mistake.

Why did Rizzo hate Sandy?

In Grease, Rizzo is painted as one of the villains, seemingly bullying Sandy when she turns up at Rydell High - partly because of her resentment at Sandy's moral purity and how easily she is accepted by the school's social hierarchy.

Were the Pink Ladies real?

The Pink Ladies portrayed in the script were a real girl-gang in the 1950's on Chicago's northwest side.

Was Rizzo a pink lady?

They're the ones who pave the way for the future Pink Ladies we know and love: Rizzo, Frenchie, Marty and Jan. But, as it happens, two of those ladies do get an appearance in this show, because one has a direct connection to the original Pink Ladies.

Who was the youngest actor in Grease?

Kelly Ward brought the youngest member of the T-Birds, Putzie, to life in a role specifically created for the film. Grease wasn't his first time working with costar John Travolta, as the two worked together on 1976's made-for-television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.

What did Stockard Channing do after Grease?

Stockard Channing on The West Wing

Besides her role in Grease, Channing is best known for her seven-year turn as Dr. Abbey Bartlet on The West Wing, from 1999 to 2006.

How old was Olivia John in Grease?

Disillusioned by her Toomorrow experience and concerned that she was too old to play a high school senior (she was 28 during the filming of Grease), Newton-John insisted on a screen test with the film's co-lead, John Travolta.

Did Will Smith date Stockard Channing?

Smith — who had just welcomed son Trey with his then-wife Sheree Zampino — remained in character even while off the set of the 1993 film. As his romantic feelings for Channing grew, their relationship remained professional, the star writes.

What do friends call Stockard Channing?

Some people call me Susan, or Aunt Susan, some call me Susie, others Stockard.

Is Will Smith in love with Stockard Channing?

In a new excerpt from his upcoming memoir, Will, 53-year-old Smith opens up about falling in love with his co-star, Stockard Channing, while working on the project and still married to his first wife, Sheree Zampino.

Is Stockard Channing her real name?

One of Broadway and Hollywood's perennial and cleverer talents who tends to shine a smart, cynical light on her surroundings, Stockard Channing was born Susan Williams Antonia Stockard on February 13, 1944 in New York City to a Protestant father and a Catholic mother of Irish descent.

Who was Will Smith's first wife?

Sheree Zampino was married to Will Smith for three years, and the two share one son, Trey Smith. Both went on to marry other people — Smith tied the knot with actress Jada Pinkett Smith in December 1997, while Zampino married former NFL player Terrell Fletcher in 2007 (although they divorced in 2014).

Who couldn't dance in Grease?

Apparently, actress Dinah Manoff was such a bad dancer in real life that the directors left her character, Marty, out of the scene entirely! She also didn't get to be a part of all the hand-jiving — it looked like so much fun!

Who trained John Travolta to dance?

His mother, herself an actress and dancer, enrolled him in a drama school in New York, where he studied voice, dancing and acting.

Did John Travolta lip sync in Grease?

Does John Travolta sing in the movie Grease? Yes, he did sing all of his own parts. He also sang again with Olivia Newton-John in a reunion in 2002.