Olivia Hussey, 71, and Leonard Whiting, 72, stars of 1968’s “Romeo and Juliet” are suing Paramount over sexual exploitation. They are seeking damages in the excess of $500 million.
The film has a bedroom scene which includes Whiting’s buttocks and Hussey’s breasts. The suit alleges that the film’s late director Franco Zeffirelli, who died 5 years ago, assured the star actors that no nudity would be shown in the final product.
What’s very strange about this lawsuit is that, in a 2018 Variety interview, Hussey had originally defended the nude scene. “Nobody my age had done that before […] It was needed for the film.”
In another 2018 interview with Fox News, she said that the scene was “taboo” in America, but that nudity was already common in European films at the time. “It wasn’t that big of a deal,” she said. “And Leonard wasn’t shy at all! In the middle of shooting, I just completely forgot I didn’t have clothes on.”
According to the filing, 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.
More likely, Hussey and Whiting failed to plan adequately for retirement. They now desperately want money.