Olivia Hussey Eisley, the actress who shot to fame as one of many star-crossed lovers in Franco Zeffirelli’s controversial Romeo and Juliet in 1968, died peacefully right now at house surrounded by her family members, in accordance with a submit on her Instagram web page. She was 73.
Hussey’s credit additionally embody Demise on the Nile reverse Peter Ustinov; Psycho IV: The Starting through which she performed Norma Bates and the 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It.
She labored once more with Zeffirelli when she performed Mary, the mom of Jesus, within the 1977 tv film Jesus of Nazareth.
In 2022, Hussey and Whiting sued Paramount Footage, alleging that Zeffirelli violated their consent on Romeo and Juliet by filming them nude with out their information. Hussey and Whiting had been 15 and 16 years previous, respectively, when the movie was shot. Estimating that the movie has revamped $500 million since its pre-Summer time of Love launch, the duo sought $100 million in damages
The claims had been distinct from what Hussey mentioned in 2018 when she spoke of the nudity within the movie. Again then, plugging a brand new memoir, the actress instructed Fox Information that the nudity “wasn’t that massive of a deal.”
The nudity was actually an enormous deal of a form when Romeo and Juliet got here out in March 1968. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards together with Finest Image and Finest Director, the controversial image received Finest Cinematography and Costume Design Oscars. Each Whiting and Hussey additionally received Golden Globes for his or her performances.
Having confronted claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault prior to now, Zeffirelli was unable to answer Hussey and Whiting’s accusations, on condition that he died in 2019.
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Nevertheless, the filmmaker’s son Pippo Zeffirelli did reply.
“It’s embarrassing to listen to that right now, 55 years after filming, two aged actors who owe their notoriety basically to this movie get up to declare that they’ve suffered an abuse that has brought about them years of tension and emotional discomfort,” he mentioned in January 2023.
In Might 2023, a decide mentioned the swimsuit contained a “gross mischaracterization” of the bed room scenes in query from the movie and, citing the First Modification, put forth a tentative ruling to dismiss the case.
Right here is the assertion from Hussey’s household in full:
It’s with profound disappointment that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who went peacefully at house surrounded by her family members on December twenty seventh.
Olivia was a exceptional particular person whose heat, knowledge, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her.
Born on April seventeenth, 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Olivia lived a life stuffed with ardour, love, and dedication to the humanities, spirituality, and kindness in the direction of animals.
Olivia leaves behind a loving household— her kids, Alex, Max, and India, her husband of 35 years David Glen Eisley, and grandson, Greyson, and a legacy of affection that may perpetually be cherished in our hearts. As we grieve this immense loss, we additionally have fun Olivia’s enduring affect on our lives and the business.
We thanks to your ideas and prayers throughout this tough time and ask for privateness as we mourn the lack of a really particular soul.
