Post by sokalslice on Jan 10, 2023 14:37:07 GMT -5
You might have watched Paramount Pictures' 1968 film Romeo and Juliet in high school. If you did, your teacher may have fast-forwarded through the bedroom scene where you see Romeo's buttocks and Juliet's breasts. Now, 55 years later, that underage nudity is the subject of a lawsuit. Olivia Hussey (Juliet) was 15 at the time and Leonard Whiting (Romeo) was 16. According to the complaint, director Franco Zeffirelli (now deceased) showed them where the camera would be positioned, and assured them that no nudity would be photographed or released in the film. The suit alleges that he was being dishonest and that Whiting and Hussey were in fact filmed nude 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. Despite their breakout performances, Hussey and Whiting had only very limited acting careers after “Romeo and Juliet.” They are seeking damages “believed to be in excess of $500 million.”
Full Variety Article
