Romeo and Juliet actress Olivia Hussey Eisley passes away at the age of 73

Olivia Hussey Eisley renowned for her role as Juliet in Franco Zeffirellis iconic 1968 film Romeo and Juliet has passed away at the age of 73Hussey died on 27 December surrounded by loved ones in her home and according to a statement posted on her official Instagram page is survived by her husband of 35 years David Glen Eisley and their children Alex Max and IndiaView this post on InstagramA post shared by Olivia Hussey eisley oliviahusseyeisleyShe is also survived by her grandson Greyson Her family issued the following statement upon her passing It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley who went peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on December 27th Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth wisdom and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her She leaves behind a legacy of love that will forever be cherished in our heartsBorn on April 17 1951 in Buenos Aires Argentina Hussey shot to fame with her portrayal of the starcrossed lover in Romeo and Juliet a performance that would become one of the most memorable in film historyThe movie nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director remains one of the most beloved adaptations of Shakespeares classic taleIt earned Hussey and her costar Leonard Whiting Golden Globe Awards for their performancesBeyond Romeo and Juliet Husseys acting career spanned decades with notable roles in films such as Death on the Nile where she starred opposite Peter Ustinov and the 1989 film Psycho IV The Beginning where she portrayed Norma BatesHer career also included a key role in the 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen Kings ItIn 1977 she reunited with Zeffirelli for his television epic Jesus of Nazareth where she portrayed Mary the mother of JesusThe 1968 film which gained widespread attention for its candid depiction of the young lovers was met with both acclaim and backlash as per DeadlineAlthough it won two Academy Awards including Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design the films depiction of nudity sparked significant debate at the timeFranco Zeffirelli who passed away in 2019 could not respond to the lawsuit due to his deathHowever his son Pippo Zeffirelli commented on the matter expressing his embarrassment over the claims made by Hussey and WhitingIt is embarrassing to hear that today 55 years after filming two elderly actors who owe their notoriety essentially to this film wake up to declare that they have suffered an abuse that has caused them years of anxiety and emotional discomfort he said in January 2023 as per DeadlineAccording to Deadline a judge dismissed the lawsuit in May 2023 citing a gross mischaracterization of the films bedroom scenes and ruling that the First Amendment protected the films artistic choicesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever