©Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Olivia Hussey, the Buenos Aires-born actress who in 1968 portrayed Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, died in Los Angeles on December 27 at the age of 73. Hussey was only 15 when she starred in the film alongside 16-year-old Leonard Whiting, who played the part of Romeo. The film garnered four Oscar nominations and won in two categories: best cinematography and best costume design. Hussey won a Golden Globe for her performance.
In a statement posted to her Instagram account, Hussey’s family stated: “Olivia was a remarkable 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, spirituality, and kindness towards animals.
“As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry,” the statement continued.
Hussey, who is also known as an animal-rights activist, later appeared in Black Christmas, a slasher film that debuted In 1974, and in a 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile. She also played the part of Mary in the 1977 television series, Jesus of Nazareth, and the title role in the 2003 biopic Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Hussey was also acclaimed as a voice actress for the Star Wars video games.
In 2023, Hussey and Whiting made news when they sued Paramount Studios on child abuse charges over a controversial nude scene in Romeo and Juliet. The lawsuit claimed that the digital rerelease of the film had been digitally enhanced, causing their private parts to be depicted “in such high detail that the gratuitous display was lewd and lascivious and demeaning to them.” A judge eventually dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that the scene could not be construed as being “sexually suggestive as a matter of law.”
Hussey is survived by her husband, the rock singer David Glen Eisley, their three children Alex, Max, and India, and her grandson Greyson.
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