Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare’s most iconic plays, and it’s been adapted for film a number of times throughout the years. One of the most well-known of these is Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 movie, which starred young actors Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey in the title roles. But those Romeo and Juliet actors are now suing for child abuse over love scenes and onscreen nudity that was performed while they were still underage.
Both Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey are involved in this new lawsuit aimed at Paramount over the conduct on the set of Romeo and Juliet. The actors are in their ‘70s now, but were just 16 and 15 at the time of filming. They allege that Zeffirelli (who died in 2019) pressured them into performing nude, after previously promising they’d be wearing flesh-colored undergarments. And per the report by Variety, they’re requesting damages “believed to be in excess of $500 million.” Whiting and Leonard’s lawyer Solomon Gresen provided a statement about the suit, which reads:
Nude images of minors are unlawful and shouldn’t be exhibited. These were very young naive children in the ’60s who had no understanding of what was about to hit them. All of a sudden they were famous at a level they never expected, and in addition they were violated in a way they didn’t know how to deal with.
Per the lawsuits, Whiting and Hussey have been dealing with mental health issues in the 55 years since they were asked to disrobe on set, and their young bodies were ultimately included in Romeo and Juliet’s theatrical cut. They’re seeking a serious paycheck as a result of their experience back in the ‘60s, and how the movie was ultimately distributed.
This new lawsuit was able to be brought to the courts thanks to a California law that has temporarily suspended the statute of limitations regarding claims of child sexual abuse. And while Franco Zeffirelli himself has since passed away, Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey are seeking quite the large sum from Paramount.
This lawsuit and the Romeo and Juliet stars’ recounting of their experience filming stands in juxtaposition to previous comments about filming the Zeffirelli classic. In a 2018 interview with Variety, Olivia Hussey said that the nudity was “needed for the film,” while remarking about how she was able to do something groundbreaking at a young age. She spoke with Fox News that same year about the nude scene, saying:
It wasn’t that big of a deal. And Leonard wasn’t shy at all! In the middle of shooting, I just completely forgot I didn’t have clothes on.
Given this discrepancy and the iconic nature of the Romeo and Juliet movie, smart money says the lawsuit with Paramount is going to turn quite a few heads. Even before these allegations were made, knowing the age of the movie’s stars gives one pause, especially regarding their nude scene. We’ll just have to wait and see how things ultimately shake out in the legal system.
The 1968 Romeo and Juliet movie is available to rent in places like Amazon. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. And smart money says it’s only a matter of time before another adaptation of The Bard’s romantic play is brought back to the silver screen.
