Marilu Henner looks back on her career and the moment she realized her life had changed forever.
The actress, who rose to fame in “Taxi,” was dating “Grease” star John Travolta when her “life changed on Sept. 15, 1978.”
“'Taxi' aired three days earlier. I was in Europe with Johnny Travolta, we were hanging out,” Henner explained during an interview with AARP.
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'Taxi' star Marilu Henner has recounted the moment she realized her life had changed forever. (Fake Images)
“I was walking down the street with the 'Taxi' guys and people were honking and yelling, 'Hey, Louie! Hey, Nardo! Hey, Banta!'” Henner said. Nardo was his character's last name, and “Louie” and “Banta” were references to the characters of his co-stars Danny DeVito and Tony Danza.
“We all looked around and knew our lives had changed. It was a very powerful moment.”
Henner appeared in every episode of “Taxi.” (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Henner earned five Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of Elaine Nardo in “Taxi.”
The show followed the lives of a group of taxi drivers at the Sunshine Cab Company, who worked there while pursuing their true passions.
The series ran for five seasons from 1978 to 1983 and helped launch the careers of many of its stars, including Danza, DeVito, Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman and Carol Kane.
(Clockwise from top left): Andy Kaufman as Latka Graves, Carol Kane as Simka Dahblitz, Danny DeVito as Louie De Palma, Judd Hirsch as Alex Reiger, Christopher Lloyd as Reverend Jim Ignatowski, Marilu Henner as Elaine O'Connor-Nardo and Tony Danza as Tony Banta. (Frank Carroll/NBCU Photo Ban via Getty Images)
Henner highlighted the importance of the bonds that are created when filming a show like “Taxi” and said he has kept in close contact with his colleagues over the years.
“We all have an essence or a filter through which we see our lives, and mine has always been family. I turn every group of people I've been close to into a family,” she told the outlet.
Marilu Henner rose to fame in “Taxi.” (Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
“I'm still very close to my 'Grease' family and my 'Chicago the Musical' family and definitely my 'Taxi' family. During the pandemic, I started doing Zooms with the 'Taxi' gang and we're about to turn 21. There's nothing better than keeping friends.”
Last year, the popular show celebrated its 45th anniversary. Some of the cast members reunited in May and Lloyd shared the occasion with his followers on social media. He captioned his post: “What the hell is going on here? #taxi.”
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In 2022, Henner shared with Fox News Digital how she and Travolta became friends.
John Travolta and Marilu Henner dated and appeared in two films together. (James Andanson/Sygma via Getty Images)
“I did the first national production of 'Grease' with him and then, immediately after, we also did two films, 'Perfect' and 'Chains of Gold.' And we were together for many years,” he said.
“The first day I met him, we connected immediately… He's so talented, incredibly talented. Even at 18, you could tell he was going to be a star. He was a special talent and a very good person… He's an incredible human being.”
When Henner was cast in the Chicago production of “Grease,” the actress had no idea she would make history.
The musical began as a community theatre production in a former tram shed. Not only did it launch the careers of several stars, but it also spawned the 1978 film starring Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
Actors John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John hug in a promotional image for the film “Grease,” directed by Randal Kleiser, in 1978. (Paramount Pictures/International Photos/Getty Images)
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Henner previously told Fox News Digital that she turned down a role in the film “Grease.”
“I was actually offered the film, but I couldn't get completion dates for it.” [another] “It's a movie I was making at the time. But it's great. I mean, it's very different,” Henner said.
“The movie and the play are two completely different things. The play is an ensemble piece and the movie is completely different. It's certainly a star vehicle for John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.”
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Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
