Actress Olivia Hussey, renowned for her portrayal of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, has passed away at the age of 73.
She peacefully departed at her residence in California, surrounded by her family on Friday, as announced in a message on her official Instagram profile.
The post, shared alongside a nostalgic sunset photo of a youthful Hussey, honored “an extraordinary individual whose radiance, insight, and genuine compassion influenced the lives of everyone who encountered her.”
It further stated: “Olivia embraced a life rich in ardor, affection, and a commitment to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals.”
Described as a “truly exceptional spirit,” her relatives expressed that while they mourn her “profound absence,” they would also “rejoice in Olivia’s lasting influence on our lives and the entertainment sector.”
Born in Buenos Aires in 1951 to an Argentine father and English mother, Hussey relocated to London at seven with her mother and attended the Italia Conti Academy drama school.
Discovered by Italian filmmaker Zeffirelli during a theater performance of The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie with Vanessa Redgrave, Hussey’s portrayal of Juliet at the tender age of 15 catapulted her to fame and earned her a Golden Globe.
Sixteen-year-old actor Leonard Whiting starred as her Romeo, with the duo later initiating legal action against Paramount Pictures in 2022 for alleged sexual abuse related to the Oscar-nominated film’s nude segment.
(L-R) Franco Zeffirelli, Olivia Hussey, and Leonard Whiting in 1968. Pic: AP/Eustache Cardenas
The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge the subsequent year.
Hussey would collaborate with Zeffirelli once more, portraying the Virgin Mary in the 1977 television miniseries Jesus Of Nazareth.
Her appearances in horror films such as Black Christmas and Psycho prequel Psycho IV: The Beginning established Hussey as a distinguished scream queen over the years.
Other notable roles included her work in the Hercule Poirot film Death On The Nile and the biopic Madre Teresa about Mother Teresa.
Read more:
Andrew Garfield on baking cookies and his mum’s perfume
Disabled musicians demand greater inclusivity
Hussey was reunited with Whiting in the 2015 British film Social Suicide, which loosely drew inspiration from Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet.
Her daughter, actress India Eisley, portrayed her on-screen daughter in the film.
This role marked Hussey’s final appearance on screen, as noted by IMDB.
Hussey is survived by her three children—Alex, Max, and India—her husband of 35 years, David Glen Eisley, and her grandson, Greyson.
