Romeo and Juliet actress Olivia Hussey dies aged 73

Actress Olivia Hussey, who changeable to planetary prominence arsenic a teen for her relation successful the acclaimed 1968 movie mentation of Romeo and Juliet, has died aged 73.

The Argentinian-born actress, who grew up successful London, died connected Friday surrounded by her loved ones, a connection posted connected her Instagram said.

Hussey won the champion caller histrion Golden Globe for her portion arsenic Juliet, but decades aboriginal she sued Paramount Pictures for intersexual maltreatment arsenic she was aged conscionable 15 erstwhile she filmed the movie's nude scene.

Her different astir notable surface relation was arsenic Mary, parent of Jesus, successful 1977 TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth.

"As we grieve this immense loss, we besides observe Olivia's enduring interaction connected our lives and the industry," the connection said.

Hussey was calved successful Buenos Aires, Argentina, successful 1951, earlier moving to London aged 7 and studying astatine the Italia Conti Academy play school.

She was 15 erstwhile Romeo and Juliet manager Franco Zeffirelli discovered her onstage, playing other Vanessa Redgrave successful the play The Prime of Miss Joan Brodie

Zeffirelli was looking for idiosyncratic who was young capable to beryllium a convincing Juliet successful what helium intended to beryllium the definitive cinematic mentation of the Shakespeare play.

He formed Hussey alongisde British 16-year-old Leonard Whiting arsenic Romeo successful the film.

The movie was nominated for an Oscar for champion representation and director. Hussey missed retired connected an Oscar information herself successful a beardown twelvemonth successful which Barbra Streisand won the main grant for Funny Girl.

But astatine that year's Golden Globes Hussey won the grant for champion caller star.

Decades later, she and Whiting sued Paramount Pictures alleging Zeffirelli - who died successful 2019 - had encouraged them to movie nude scenes contempt erstwhile assurances they would not person to.

The brace sought damages of much than $500m (£417m), based connected suffering they said they had experienced and the gross brought successful by the movie since its release.

But past twelvemonth a judge dismissed the case, uncovering the country was not "sufficiently sexually suggestive".

In 1977, Hussey had reunited with Zeffirelli for Jesus of Nazareth to play the Virgin Mary, earlier appearing successful Death connected the Nile a twelvemonth aboriginal based connected Agatha Christie's novel.

Her roles successful aboriginal slasher movie Black Christmas (1974) and TV movie Psycho IV: The Beginning earned her designation arsenic a shriek queen. In the latter, she p[layed Norman Bates's parent successful a prequel storyline.

In aboriginal years she besides took connected enactment arsenic a dependable actress, appearing often successful video games.

But she did person 1 last reunion with her erstwhile Romeo - arsenic she and Whiting appeared unneurotic successful the 2015 British movie Social Suicide, which was loosely based connected Romeo and Juliet, albeit acceptable successful the societal media era.