Romeo and Juliet Actress Olivia Hussey Dies Aged 73.
By André Rhoden-Paul | BBC News
Actress Olivia Hussey, renowned for her role as Juliet in the 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, has passed away at the age of 73.
Hussey, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951, moved to London at the age of seven and studied at the Italia Conti Academy drama school. She was discovered at 15 by director Franco Zeffirelli while performing alongside Vanessa Redgrave in .The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Zeffirelli cast her as Juliet, aiming for a young and authentic portrayal in his definitive adaptation of Shakespeare's classic.
The film earned multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, though Hussey was not nominated, losing out in a year dominated by Barbra Streisand's Funny Girl. However, Hussey won the Golden Globe for Best New Star for her performance.
Decades later, Hussey and her co-star Leonard Whiting sued Paramount Pictures, alleging they were coerced into filming nude scenes despite prior assurances. They sought over $500 million in damages, citing emotional distress and the film's continued revenue. The case was dismissed in 2022 when a judge ruled the scenes were not "sufficiently sexually suggestive."
Hussey reunited with Zeffirelli in 1977 to portray Mary, mother of Jesus, in the TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth. Her filmography also included notable roles in Black Christmas (1974), Death on the Nile (1978), and Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990), cementing her status as a "scream queen."
In later years, Hussey worked as a voice actress, contributing to video games and reuniting with Whiting in the 2015 British film Social Suicide, a modern take on Romeo and Juliet.
A statement posted on her Instagram confirmed she passed away on Friday, surrounded by loved ones. "As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia's enduring impact on our lives and the industry," it read.
Hussey is remembered not only for her breakthrough role in Romeo and Juliet but also for her contributions to cinema and television, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
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