Considered an all-time classic, the mention of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet' often comes up when we discuss all-time romantic hits or concepts of lovers torn apart due to circumstances. This time, however, the film is grabbing headlines for a different subject altogether. Created by the popular production studio Paramount Pictures, the film made its actors overnight stars decades ago and while the glory has faded, there are scars the actors still carry even today.
The Romeo and Juliet lead actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures at a California court claiming that the unlawful nudity they were subjected to in the film caused them years of trauma.
Romeo And Juliet Actors Lawsuit
On Wednesday, after a US Magazine received the actors' lawsuit papers, it disclosed how both Hussey and Whiting are seeking closure more than vengeance. The suit alleges how late director Franco Zeffirelli manipulated the two actors into performing a nude scene despite the duo asking the makers not to. Zeffirelli passed away in 2019.
The lawsuit papers mention the production company should be found guilty of not just fraud and abuse but also of intentional infliction of emotional distress that has carried on for over fifty years.
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The nude scene was shot when both actors were teenagers
The case stems from the film's scene involving both actors showing nudity at a time when Hussey was 15 and Whiting was 16. The complaint accuses Zeffirelli of deceit stating that he clearly told the actors that the film would not showcase nudity and that production would instead use flesh colour clothing for the particular scene in question.
However, as per the lawsuit, right before the filming of the scene, Zeffirelli told the two teens that they would have to shoot authentically or else the film would fail. Zeffirelli manipulated the actors by assuring them that they would be placed in a position where most of their body parts would be hidden from the camera. The actors mentioned in their statement to the court that they believed they had no choice but to give in and shoot the scene with body makeup on. The alleged scene was shot on the last day
Tony Marinozzi, who serves as a business manager for both actors, alleged that the two trusted the production house completely at the time and because they were still kids they had no choice but to believe them.
With popularity came distress: Romeo And Juliet Actors Lawsuit
The film made 60s kids Hussey and Whiting overnight stars. However, the two had a hard time managing projects further on as they dealt with deep-rooted stress and trauma and overriding fame post the film's release which they did not know how to navigate.
The lawsuit states how both actors have "suffered emotional and physical pain in the decades since the film's release, alongside a lifetime of loss of other employment opportunities." Paramount Pictures has not officially made any comment regarding the lawsuit.
The actors are now seeking damages for over 500 million dollars, matching the earning amount the high-grossing film made since its release.
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