In the Franco Zeffirelli-directed 1968 version of “Romeo and Juliet,” Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting were just teenagers when they captivated audiences.
The movie was a big success and got four Oscar nominations, but a bedroom scene with Whiting’s buttocks and Hussey’s bare breasts sparked controversy.
Hussey and Whiting, now in their 70s, filed a lawsuit on Friday in Santa Monica Superior Court, claiming that Paramount distributed nude images of adolescent children and sexually exploited them.
The suit claims that Zeffirelli, who passed away in 2019, promised the actors that they would wear flesh-colored underwear in the bedroom scene and that there would be no nudity in the film.
However, in the final days of filming, the director is said to have asked them to perform “or the Picture would fail” in body makeup.
Whiting was 16 and Hussey was 15 at the time. The complaint says that Zeffirelli showed them where the camera would be and promised that no nudity would be taken or shown in the film. He is accused of being dishonest and that Whiting and Hussey were in fact filmed naked without their knowledge, according to the lawsuit.
Tony Marinozzi, the business manager for both actors, stated, “What they were told and what went on were two different things.”
Franco had their faith. As actors, they followed his lead when he was 16 and promised that he would uphold their trust. Since Franco was a friend of theirs, what do they do when they’re 16? There is no other choice. #MeToo did not exist.
In the 55 years since the film’s release, Hussey and Whiting have endured mental anguish and emotional distress, according to the complaint, and they have also missed out on job opportunities.
After “Romeo and Juliet,” Hussey and Whiting had very limited acting careers despite their breakthrough performances.
They are suing for damages that are “believed to be more than $500 million.”
In an interview, the actors’ attorney, Solomon Gresen, stated, “Nude images of minors are unlawful and should not be displayed.”
In the 1960s, these were very young, naive children who had no idea what was about to happen to them. They were violated in a way they were unable to handle, and all of a sudden they were famous to a level they had never imagined.”
A California law that temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for older claims of child sexual abuse is cited in part in the lawsuit.
In the days leading up to the deadline on December 31, the courts received an increasing number of complaints against the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts of America, among other organizations.
When contacted for comment, Paramount did not immediately respond.
Hussey defended the nude scene in an interview with Variety in 2018.
She added, “Nobody my age had done that before,” and Zeffirelli shot it in a tasteful manner. It was necessary for the movie.
She stated in an additional interview with Fox News in 2018 that the scene was “taboo” in the United States, despite the fact that nudity was already prevalent in European films at the time.
She stated, “It wasn’t that big of a deal.” Additionally, Leonard showed no sign of timidity! I completely forgot I didn’t have clothes on while we were shooting.
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare in the late 16th century. It is a tragedy about two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, whose families are feuding and who are not allowed to be together. The play has been adapted into numerous films, plays, and other works of art, and is one of the most well-known and beloved stories in the world.
Notable Films on Romeo and Juliet
There have been many film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, some of the most notable ones include:
- Romeo and Juliet (1968), directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey.
- Romeo + Juliet (1996), directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
- Romeo and Juliet (2013), directed by Carlo Carlei and starring Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth.
- Romeo and Juliet (2014), directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad.
Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Romeo and Juliet is a 1968 British-Italian romantic tragedy film based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. The film was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starred Leonard Whiting as Romeo and Olivia Hussey as Juliet. It was released to positive reviews and was a commercial success.
The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Hussey. It is considered one of the best adaptations of Romeo and Juliet and is often hailed as a classic of cinema.
