The Stars Of The 1968 Adaptation Of 'Romeo And Juliet' Sued Paramount Pictures For Child Abuse
Image Source: IMDb
The 1968 production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, made a resounding impact post-release. It has been shown in schools, theaters, and homes to this day. A particular bedroom scene in the film pushed the moral and legal boundaries of cinematography and has now resulted in a lawsuit filed by the film’s leads.
The titular stars, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are suing Paramount Pictures through the state of California. The lawsuit contains allegations of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and fraud. At the time of filming, Whiting was 16 and Hussey was 15. Zeffirelli, who passed away in 2019, told them the bedroom scene would proceed one way, but then changed the plans.
Image Source: Boston.com
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According to the case details, the director initially told the then-minors that there would be no actual nudity in the bedroom scene. They would wear flesh-colored coverings with careful camera placement to protect them. As it came time to film, Zeffirelli allegedly used coercive techniques to convince them that a nude scene was the way to go. He said they would only have body makeup on and that no nudity would be captured on camera. This proved to be false, as there are flashes of both actors still in the movie. The director’s alleged justification was that they needed this edge to the film, “or the picture would fail.” This is not a position anyone should be put in, especially actors still new to the Hollywood scene.
This suit seeks compensation from Paramount in the form of $100 million, though they may be entitled to $500 million. The case and crimes alleged would normally exceed the statute of limitations. However, a California law suspended this rule for older cases relating to child sex abuse.
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