Olivia Hussey, the acclaimed actress who portrayed a teenage Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, has passed away at the age of 73, her family confirmed on Friday.
In a statement shared on her Instagram account, her family described her as “a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her.”
Hussey, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was just 15 years old when she starred alongside Leonard Whiting in Zeffirelli’s Oscar-winning adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragic love story. Her portrayal of Juliet earned her a Golden Globe Award for “New Star of the Year.”
In 2023, Hussey and Whiting filed a lawsuit against the film’s studio, alleging child abuse over a controversial nude scene in which both actors, still minors at the time, were involved. The case was dismissed later that year.
In a 2018 interview with Variety, Hussey defended the scene, describing how Zeffirelli handled it with professionalism and taste. “Everyone thinks we were so young we probably didn’t realize what we were doing,” Hussey said. “But we were very aware. We both came from drama schools, and when you work, you take your work very seriously.”
Whiting, who had a close relationship with Hussey, later recalled in 2023 how they supported each other through the emotionally challenging experience. “Olivia was very, very nervous and frightened as well, but we really were very fond of each other, and we helped each other get through the whole thing,” he said.
Born to an Argentine opera singer and a British legal secretary, Hussey moved from Buenos Aires to London with her family at the age of seven. She studied at the prestigious Italia Conti drama school and was already an accomplished young actor when she was cast as Juliet in Zeffirelli’s adaptation.
After her breakthrough role, Hussey went on to star in several other notable films, including the 1974 slasher classic Black Christmas and the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile.
Hussey is survived by her husband, David Eisley, their three children, and a grandchild.
AFP
