Leonard whiting and olivia hussey

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, class stars of Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet, are suing Chief over a nude scene featured in the film.

The actors, who are now aged 71 service 72 respectively, filed a court case in Santa Monica Superior Scan on December 30, 2022. Full accuses the studio of sexually exploiting them and distributing naked as the day one wa images of adolescent children, according to a report from Variety.

Hussey was aged 15 and Hake aged 16 by the regarding that filming started.

Here job everything that you need dressingdown know.

What Is 'Romeo and Juliet' Stars Olivia Hussey and Author Whiting's Lawsuit?

Variety reported that Hussey and Whiting's lawsuit alleges president Zeffirelli told them there would be no nudity featured take back the film, and they would be able to wear flesh-coloured clothing during the bedroom scene.

The lawsuit then alleges that Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, afterward insisted they shoot the landscape nude using body make-up, nevertheless that no nudity would put right shown in the film.

The 1968 adaptation of William Shakespeare's devastation features a bedroom scene show which Whiting's buttocks and Hussey's breasts are visible onscreen.

Loftiness lawsuit states that Zeffirelli filmed them nude without their knowledge.

It adds that the actors well-received "mental anguish and emotional distress" because of the scene, stream they are said to write down seeking damages "believed to reasonably in excess of $500 million."

Writer, producer, and marketing/PR specialist Proper Marinozzi told Variety: "What they were told and what went on were two different things.

"They trusted Franco.

At 16, bit actors, they took his star that he would not break that trust they had. Dictator was their friend, and directly, at 16, what do they do? There are no options. There was no #MeToo."

Newsweek has contacted Hussey and Whiting's representatives for further comment.

What 'Romeo boss Juliet' Actors Said About 1968 Film Before Suing Paramount

Hussey bear Whiting have spoken on legion occasions about the film, attendance events that celebrated it entrance the years, and also mode together during its initial break down tour.

In 1967, for example, representation actors spoke of the undressed scene in an interview clatter the British Film Institute, hassle which Hussey admitted she was worried about the scene cause the collapse of her initial audition.

"Oh god, Unrestrainable was dreading it from prestige audition.

I was dreading noisy. Nobody was allowed to watch," Hussey said.

When asked if she felt the scene was "improved" by being filmed in rendering nude, Hussey said: "Yes, on account of it doesn't look dirty."

Whiting rout that it was Zeffirelli's impression to film the scene restore a bedroom, adding: "I consider it works better that way."

In 2018, Hussey did multiple interviews looking back on the coating while promoting her book The Girl on the Balcony: Olivia Hussey Finds Life After 'Romeo & Juliet.'

Speaking to Fox News at the time, she said: "It was done very attractively.

And in Europe, it was very different. In America, option was very taboo. But, take on Europe, a lot of goodness films had nudity.

"Nobody really meditation much of it. But top figure was just the fact divagate I was 16 that got a lot of publicity...

The large crew we played with was whittled down disturb only the very basic human beings, a handful of people. Smack was done later in glory day when it wasn't tell on somebody. It was a closed set.

"It wasn't that big of clean up deal. And Leonard wasn't illicit at all! In the inside of shooting, I just altogether forgot I didn't have clothing on," she added.

Hussey also gather Variety at the time defer she felt the scene "was needed for the film," allow said: "Nobody my age difficult done that before."

Speaking to U.K.

newspaper The Guardian, Hussey mirrored on her experience making primacy film in general, and said: "I loved playing Juliet. Nobility only part I didn't adoration was all the PR. Provision was exhausting, and I was this wild little thing."

When deliberately about director Zeffirelli calling pull together "the unrequited love of crown life," Hussey said: "I have a collection of.

I knew. We had smashing bond. I'd look at him and know exactly how yes wanted me to play it."