Olivia Hussey, best known for her role in the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, has died. She was 73 years old.
Hussey died Friday “peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones,” according to a statement posted on his Instagram account.
“Olivia was an amazing person whose warmth, wisdom, and genuine kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her,” the statement continued.
Olivia Hussey looks back on her controversial 16-year-old role in 'Romeo and Juliet' and reveals personal tragedy
A 1968 portrait of Olivia Hussey appears in “Romeo and Juliet.” (Screen Archive/Getty Images)
“Olivia lived a life filled with passion, love, dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness to animals. As we grieve this unfathomable loss, we also hope that Olivia will be a part of our lives.” and celebrate its lasting impact on the industry.”
“We appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul,” the caption concludes.
Hussey was born on April 17, 1951 in Bueno Aires, Argentina, and moved to London as a child.
Circa 1967: British actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting co-star in “Romeo and Juliet.” (Larry Ellis/Express/Getty Images)
Hussey became a movie star at the age of 15, when she was cast in the most infamous role of doomed lovers in 1968's Romeo and Juliet. She landed the popular role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's film, which became an international sensation.
She wrote a memoir titled Girl on the Balcony about the many ups and downs she endured in Hollywood.
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“I was actually quite overwhelmed,” Hussey told Fox News Digital in 2018. “Even during filming, during lunch and tea breaks there were reporters waiting to interview us. And they were coming from all over the world.”
“I celebrated my 16th birthday while filming…When the movie came out, we were traveling all over the world, but I didn't want to spend my teenage years just like any other teenager. Everybody came up to us and asked for pictures and autographs. But it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
“Romeo and Juliet'' director Franco Zeffirelli (left), actors Olivia Hussey (center), and Leonard are seen after the Paris premiere of “Romeo and Juliet'' on September 25, 1968 in Paris.・Whiting. (AP Photo/Eustache Cardenas)
This movie was a hot topic even before it was released in theaters. At age 16, Hussey undressed for a love scene depicting her wedding night with co-star Leonard Whiting. [Romeo]He was also 16 years old when he accepted the role.
Despite being visibly topless on the epic drama, Hussey said at the time that she felt safe on set.
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“I think it was because it was so tastefully made,” she explained. “And in Europe, it was very different. In America, it was very taboo. But in Europe, a lot of movies had nudity in it. Nobody thought much of it. But… Just the fact that I was 16 years old got a lot of attention.'' Because of the publicity…The large staff we were working with was whittled down to just a few people, and it was later that day that… It was held on a closed set.
Romeo and Juliet won two Oscars, and Hussey won the Golden Globe Award for Best New Actress for her role as Juliet.
Leonard Whiting played Romeo Montague and Olivia Hussey played Juliet Capulet in the 1968 Shakespearean production Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli. (Bettman)
Decades later, Hussey and Whiting filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures, accusing them of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud over nude scenes in the film, according to the Associated Press.
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Initially, it was said that she would wear flesh-colored underwear for the bedroom scenes, but on the day of filming, director Zeffirelli told her that she would only wear body makeup and that the camera would be hidden from view. Nude. They claimed they were photographed nude without their knowledge.
The lawsuit was dismissed in 2023 by a Los Angeles County judge, who ruled that their depictions were not considered child pornography and that the two filed the lawsuit too late.
Hussey is survived by her husband of 35 years, David Glenn Eisley, three children, and grandchildren. (David Livingston/Getty Images)
She also appeared as Mary, mother of Jesus, in the 1977 television series Jesus of Nazareth and the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile.
Hussey is survived by her husband of 35 years, David Glenn Eisley, three children, and grandchildren.
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Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
