Olivia Hussey, known for her role as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet,” has passed away at the age of 73.
Her family announced her death on Friday, describing her as a warm and kind-hearted person whose wisdom and kindness touched many lives.
Hussey was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to an opera singer father and a British legal secretary mother. She moved to London at age seven and later attended the Italia Conti drama school.
At just 15 years old, she starred alongside Leonard Whiting in the Oscar-winning adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe for “New Star of the Year.”
In 2023, Hussey and Whiting sued the film’s studio, claiming child abuse over a controversial nude scene filmed when they were minors. The lawsuit was dismissed later that year.
Despite the controversy, Hussey stated in a 2018 interview that the scene was filmed respectfully, and both actors took their roles seriously.
Over her career, Hussey appeared in other notable films, including the 1974 horror classic “Black Christmas” and the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile.”
She is survived by her husband, David Eisley, their three children, and a grandchild.
