Olivia Hussey, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ star, dead at 73

close

Video

Olivia Hussey recalls controversial Romeo and Juliet role

Actress Olivia Hussey, who shot to stardom in the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, spoke to Fox News about filming her controversial nude scene when she was just 16 years-old.

Olivia Hussey, famously known for her role in the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet", has died. She was 73. 

Hussey died Friday, "peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones," a statement posted to her Instagram account said.

"Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her," the statement continued.

OLIVIA HUSSEY RECALLS CONTROVERSIAL 'ROMEO AND JULIET' ROLE AT 16, REVEALS PERSONAL TRAGEDIES

"Romeo and Juliet" features a 1968 Olivia Hussey portrait. (Screen Archives/Getty Images)

"Olivia lived a life full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals… As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry."

"We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul," the caption concluded. 

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 join hands in "Romeo and Juliet." (Larry Ellis/Express/Getty Images)

Hussey became a movie star at age 15 when she was cast as the most infamous doomed lover in 1968’s "Romeo and Juliet." She nabbed the sought-after role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s film, which became an international sensation.

She penned a memoir titled "Girl on the Balcony" about the many ups and downs she endured in Hollywood.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"It was actually very overwhelming," Hussey previously told Fox News Digital in 2018. "Even when we were shooting, we had reporters waiting for an interview during our lunch and tea breaks. And they had come from all over the world."

"I celebrated my 16th birthday during shooting… When the film was released, we traveled all over the world and I couldn’t really spend my teenage years like other teenagers… Everyone would come up to us for a photo, an autograph. But it was the experience of a lifetime really."

"Romeo and Juliet" movie director Franco Zeffirelli, left, actors Olivia Hussey, center, and Leonard Whiting are seen after the Parisian premiere of the film in Paris on Sept. 25, 1968. (AP Photo/Eustache Cardenas)

The film stirred headlines even before it was released in theaters. At age 16, Hussey stripped down for a love scene depicting her wedding night alongside her co-star Leonard Whiting [Romeo], who was also 16 when he took on the role.

Despite being visibly topless in the epic drama, Hussey said at the time that she felt at ease on set.

HOLLYWOOD STARS WHO DIED IN 2024: PHOTOS

"I think because it was done very tastefully," she explained. "And in Europe, it was very different. In America, it was very taboo. But in Europe a lot of the films had nudity. Nobody really thought much of it. But it was just the fact that I was 16 that got a lot of publicity… The large crew we worked with was whittled down to only the very basic people, a handful of people. It was done later in the day when it wasn’t busy. It was a closed set...

"Romeo and Juliet" went on to win two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new actress for her part as Juliet.

Leonard Whiting plays Romeo Montague and Olivia Hussey plays Juliet Capulet in the 1968 production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet directed by Franco Zeffirelli. (Bettman)

Decades later Hussey and Whiting brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud over nude scenes in the film, according to the Associated Press.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

They alleged that they were initially told they would wear flesh-colored undergarments in a bedroom scene, but on the day of the shoot Zeffirelli told the pair they would wear only body makeup and that the camera would be positioned in a way that would not show nudity. They alleged they were filmed in the nude without their knowledge.

The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County judge in 2023, who found their depiction could not be considered child pornography and the pair filed their claim too late.

Hussey is survived by her husband of 35 years, David Glen Eisley, her three children and a grandson. (David Livingston/Getty Images)

She also starred as Mary, mother of Jesus, in the 1977 television series "Jesus of Nazareth," and in the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s "Death on the Nile."

Hussey is survived by her husband of 35 years, David Glen Eisley, her three children and a grandson.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco and the Associated Press contributed to this report.