“Romeo and Juliet” star dies at 73

Olivia Husseywho played the role of teenage Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet,” for which she won a Golden Globe, has died at the age of 73. His family announced it. “Olivia was an extraordinary person whose warmth, wisdom and pure kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her,” those close to the actress said in a statement posted on Instagram. Death occurred following a serious illness.

Announcement of relatives

“Olivia was an extraordinary person whose warmth, wisdom and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her. She lived a life full of passion, love and dedication to the arts and spirituality. She leaves behind a loving family – her children Alex, Max and India, her husband David Glen Eisley and her grandson Greyson – and a legacy of love that will forever be in our hearts. As we mourn this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s lasting impact on our lives. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul.

The career

Born in Buenos Aires, Hussey was 15 when she and co-star Leonard Whiting starred in the Oscar-winning adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy. Last year, the two actors filed a lawsuit against the studio, accusing it of child abuse over a controversial nude scene in which they both appeared as minors. The case was thrown out by a judge. Hussey, who received a Golden Globe as “New Star of the Year” for her portrayal of Juliet, went on to star in, among others, the 1974 slasher film “Black Christmas” and the 1978 adaptation of ” Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie. She leaves behind her husband David Eisley, their three children and a grandson.

The complaint against Zeffirelli’s film

Olivia Hussey, along with Leonard Whiting who was the Romeo in this film, sued Paramount Pictures in 2023 for an unauthorized nude scene. According to the quote, Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, strongly insisted that filming the scene or the film would be “a failure”, even though they were originally supposed to perform in flesh-colored underwear . Those responsible for the film are accused of having “filmed scenes of naked or semi-nude minors without their consent, in violation of the laws”.

At the time, it was 1968, the film was a huge worldwide success, grossing nearly $40 million in the United States alone, but upon its release, it was embroiled in controversy due to the scene of naked between the two protagonists and their young age. In the United States, the film was rated A, for adults, while in Italy, Zeffirelli had to obtain special permission from the censors to be released in theaters. The same protagonist was prohibited from seeing the scene she had performed, and the actress commented that it was possible that she could not see something that she “sees in the mirror every day” .