Olivia doesn’t give about her reputation. At least, she is beginning to realize that everyone else’s opinion of her is nobody else’s business. Played by the magnetic and captivating Cheyenne Isabel Wells, Olivia could’ve been a stock character trying to overcome rumors, but her allure comes from her determination to prove her worth to herself.
When Rise’s seasons begins, we notice that Olivia is spending a lot of time by herself. Students have already made up their minds about Olivia’s social status, and they have no hesitation to tell her what they think of her. Even in the season’s opening number, “Grease Is The Word,” a pair of jocks tease her about her affair with Mr. Daniels. “Where are you going so fast, beautiful? Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you need a teaching license before you put out,” they say as she tries to hide her figure in her sweater.
Olivia spends a lot of time by herself in an effort to save her self-esteem, but she flourishes when the first iteration of The Pink Ladies joins forces. Jane and Olivia are natural allies, and when Wells puts that jacket on, she harnesses a power inside Olivia that she has always been hungry to unlock.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is streaming now on Paramount+.
