Romeo & Juliet star Olivia Hussey dies aged 73-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Olivia Hussey has died aged 73 (Picture: Bettmann Archive)

Olivia Hussey, who rose to fame as a teenager in Romeo & Juliet, died at 73.

The actress starred as Juliet in the 1968 adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

She acted opposite Leonard Whiting, now 74, as Romeo.

As per a statement, Hussey died on Friday ‘peacefully at her home surrounded by her loved ones’.

It also said: ‘Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her.’

Hussey’s family remembered her as someone ‘full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals.’

The actress died ‘peacefully’ at home (Picture: Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

Hussey in 2018, standing alongside Leonard Whiting, who played Romeo (Picture: Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

‘As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry,’ they added.

‘We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul.’

Hussey is survived by her children, Alex, Max, and India, as well as her grandson, Greyson.

The British star also leaves behind her American musician husband, David Glen Eisley, whom she married in 1991.

Hussey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, with a recurrence in 2018.

At the time of her breakout performance in Romeo & Juliet, Hussey was just 16 years old, while her co-star Whiting was 17.

The box office hit marked the first time a movie had cast actors close to the actual ages of the lovers.

Hussey was just a teenager when she rose to fame (Picture: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock)

The adaptation was nominated for four Oscars (Picture: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including best picture, and Hussey received a David di Donatello prize and a Golden Globe for her performance.

Last year, Hussey and Whiting sued Paramount over accusations of child abuse during the filming of Romeo & Juliet.

They accused director Zeffirelli of pressuring them into doing bedroom scenes in the nude, despite being told initially that they could wear skin-coloured bodysuits.

Ultimately, the lawsuit was dismissed. Then, in October 2024, a second suit was dismissed, finding that the lead actors consented to their appearance in the film.

As well as Romeo & Juliet, Hussey also played Mary in the 1977 miniseries Jesus of Nazareth and starred in 2003’s Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Her other roles included Jess Bradford in Black Christmas (1974) and Rosalie Otterbourne, the daughter of Angela Lansbury‘s character, in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile (1978).

She was also a voice actress in Star Wars, Batman, and Superman video games.

The lead actors previously filed lawsuits, claiming they were pressured into filming nude scenes (Picture: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Hussey’s last on-screen credit was in 2015 (Picture: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Then, in 2015, she and Whiting reunited for the film Social Suicide, this time playing the Capulet parents. This was her final on-screen credit.

The Buenos Aires-born movie star moved to London when she was just seven, as her mother took her and her younger brother to attend the Italia Conti Academy drama school for five years.

She scored her first theatre role at the age of 13.

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