Last Updated on 01/05/2023 by てんしょく飯
Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, who played the main characters Romeo and Juliet in the 1968 film version of “Romeo and Juliet,” have filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures for child abuse regarding nude scenes in the movie.
Nudity by minors is illegal and should not be shown to the public.
Romeo and Juliet (1968) is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s famous play, adapted and directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starring British natives Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. Compared to previous film adaptations (such as the 1936 version), the casting was closer to the characters’ actual ages, and the film was shot on location in Italy. The fact that Hassey, who was 16 years old at the time, played a nude scene was also much talked about.
In the indictment, Leonard and Olivia wrote, “Before shooting, director Franco Zeffirelli assured the two leads, who were 15 and 16 at the time, that there would be no nude scenes in the film. However, on the last day of shooting, the director said, ‘If they don’t go nude, the film will fail,’ and persuaded them to show their nudity.
Leonard and Olivia’s manager told Variety, “What they were told and what actually took place were different,” adding, “They trusted Franco, and at 16, as actors, they trusted him and followed his guidance. There was no ‘#MeeToo’ movement at the time,” he said of the situation 55 years ago.
Olivia and Leonard are seeking damages “believed to be in excess of $500 million” for emotional distress and mental anguish they have suffered since the film was released. They claim they lost their job opportunities because of it.
Their lawyer said, “Underage nudity is illegal and should not be made public. They were very young and pure kids in the 60s and had no idea what was coming for them. Suddenly they were famous on a level they never expected and their human rights were violated in ways they did not know how to deal with.”
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