‘Grease’: 1 Cast Member Revealed There Was ‘Major Flirting’ Behind the Scenes While Filming: ‘Some of the Trailers Were Rocking’
When Grease started filming back in 1977, nobody expected it to become one of the greatest movies of all time. The cast, though much older than high-school age, instantly bonded and created lasting relationships that they still keep up with today.
One cast member noted, though, that while the cast was extremely close, there were definitely instances where relationships crossed that line of “just friends.”
‘Grease’ starred actors in their 20s and 30s
The film left its mark on high-schoolers everywhere after its release; it showcased high school life through music, though the cast members weren’t actually teenagers. John Travolta was 23, while Olivia Newton-John was 29. Still, there were cast members even older. Rizzo, played by Stockard Channing, was meant to be a 17-year-old student, though Channing was actually 33 during filming.
Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) was Rizzo’s love interest in the film, and he was way beyond his teenage years as well at 26. Other characters, such as Jan (Jamie Donnelly) and Sonny (Michael Tucci) were also in their 30s. Still, there were a few teens in the movie, including the cast members behind Marty and Putzie, who were 19 during filming.
Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, said there was ‘major flirting’ on set
With so many young adults in a small space, there was bound to be some intermingling. Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, sat down with The Sun back in 2018, where she revealed that things were “hot” among the “Grease” cast when the cameras stopped rolling.
“There were some relationships that started and, let’s just say, major flirting was going on,” Conn said. “Some of the trailers were rocking.”
Though Conn didn’t give away too much about specific stars, she indicated that Conaway “oozed sexuality” and was “an ever-ready bunny.” She also had words about Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.
“The chemistry between John and Olivia was real — very, very real,” Conn said. However, she added that nothing ever happened between the two behind the scenes. “A romance? No, no no. Just onset.” Still, we can’t help but wonder if Conn was simply covering for her co-stars, since there were so many scenes between Danny and Sandy where they had a little too much chemistry.
Didi Conn has remained close with her co-stars
The cast of “Grease” hasn’t starred in a film together in more than 40 years, but they’ve all remained close. Conn even revealed in her interview that the cast was onboard for various sequels, including “Summer School,” which was meant to be a follow-up to the original film. However, Paramount passed on it. Conn also said that “Grease 3” was in the works in the 1990s, featuring the original cast, but it never came to fruition.
There was a third instance when a second movie nearly happened, and it came after the cast penned stories in Frenchy’s book about where their characters would be 20 years later. Still, a second movie never came to be. “We had a great story,” Donn said. “Frenchy was a dog groomer. Sandy and Danny were still together. It was just a lot of fun. But nobody wanted to take our ideas, they wanted to do their own.”
