Olivia Hussey, Star of 'Romeo and Juliet', Passes Away at 73

28 Dec 2024, 05:30 · Il Messaggero

Olivia Hussey, who played the role of a teenage Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet' which earned her a Golden Globe, has died at the age of 73. Her family announced it. "Olivia was an extraordinary person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her," the actress's family said in a statement posted on Instagram. The death occurred following a serious illness.

The Family's Announcement

"Olivia was an extraordinary person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her. She lived a life full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality. She leaves behind a loving family - her children, Alex, Max, and India, her husband David Glen Eisley, and grandson Greyson - and a legacy of love that will remain forever 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 you to maintain privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul."

Career

Born in Buenos Aires, Hussey was 15 when she and her 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 for a controversial nude scene in which they both appeared, being minors at the time. The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge. Hussey, who received a Golden Globe as 'New Star of the Year' for her portrayal of Juliet, later starred in the 1974 slasher film 'Black Christmas' and the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 'Death on the Nile'. She is survived by her husband David Eisley, their three children, and a grandson.

The Lawsuit for Zeffirelli's Film

Olivia Hussey, along with Leonard Whiting who was the Romeo in that film, sued Paramount Pictures in 2023 for an unauthorized nude scene. According to the citation, Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, heavily insisted they shoot the scene, otherwise the film would "fail", even though they were originally supposed to perform wearing flesh-colored underwear. The film's producers are accused "of filming scenes of minors nude or semi-nude without their consent, in violation of the laws"

The Nude Scene

At the time, in 1968, the film achieved enormous global success, grossing almost 40 million dollars in the United States alone, but was already embroiled in controversy at its release due to the nude scene between the two protagonists and their minor age. In the United States, the film received an A rating, for adults, while in Italy Zeffirelli had to obtain a special permit from the censorship to release it in theaters. The protagonist herself was prohibited from viewing due to the scene she performed, and the actress commented on how it was possible that she could not see something that "I see in the mirror every day".

Career

Hussey worked again with the great Italian director playing the role of Mary in the international miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" broadcast by dozens of televisions in 1977, with a colossal cast including six Oscar-winning actors (Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Laurence Olivier, Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, and Peter Ustinov), while six other actors were nominated. Hussey played the role of Jesus's mother, portrayed by English actor Robert Powell, who achieved consecration with the general public. The actress was again an angelic face as the protagonist of the TV mini-series "Mother Teresa" (2003), directed by Fabrizio Costa, which narrates the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity. Olivia Hussey was memorable in the role of Jess Bradford, terrified in her sorority house, in "Black Christmas" (1974) directed by Bob Clark, a cult film considered one of the masterpieces of the horror genre and the forerunner of the slasher subgenre. She was also the sullen Rosalie Otterbourne, the daughter of Angela Lansbury's character (Salomé Otterbourne) in "Death on the Nile" (1978), based on the eponymous detective novel by Agatha Christie and directed by John Guillermin.