‘Romeo and Juliet’ Stars Sue Paramount For Child Abuse Over 1968 Film’s N*De Scene

Romeo and Juliet (1968) star Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, who are now in their 70s, recently sued studio Paramount in Santa Monica Superior Court on Friday

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting were teenagers when they stunned audiences in the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, with their breathtaking performance. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, Romeo and Juliet was an instant hit. Moreover, the film was nominated for four Academy Awards. However, after more than five decades, the film has been in the headlines over a bedroom scene which included images of Whiting’s bu*tocks and Hussey’s bare breasts.

Romeo and Juliet (1968) star Hussey and Whiting, who are now in their 70s, recently sued studio Paramount in Santa Monica Superior Court on Friday, accusing the studio of s*xually exploiting them and distributing n*de images of adolescent children. The lawsuit alleges that Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, assured both actors that there would be no n*dity in the film and that they would wear flesh-coloured undergarments in the bedroom scene.

However, in the final days of filming, the director allegedly pleaded with them to perform in the n*de with body makeup, ‘or the Picture would fail.’ Hussey was 15 at the time and Whiting was 16. According to the complaint obtained by various outlets, Zeffirelli showed them where the camera would be positioned, and assured them that no n*dity would be photographed or released in the film.

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The lawsuit alleges that he was being dishonest and that Whiting and Hussey were in fact filmed n*de without their knowledge. According to the complaint, Hussey and Whiting have suffered mental anguish and emotional distress in the 55 years since the film’s release and have also lost out on job opportunities. Hussey and Whiting hit stardom with Romeo and Juliet. However, despite their breakthrough performances, they had only very limited acting careers after Romeo and Juliet.

Meanwhile, as per the reports, Olivia and Leonard are seeking damages ‘believed to be in excess of $500 million.’ In the latest interview, the actors’ attorney, Solomon Gresen, shared, “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.”