ROMEO AND JULIET stars file lawsuit against Paramount for sexually exploiting them in nude scenes in 1968 film if(typeof ez_ad_units != ‘undefined’){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],’geektyrant_com-box-3′,’ezslot_4′,112,’0′,’0′])};__ez_fad_position(‘div-gpt-ad-geektyrant_com-box-3-0’);

In 1968, the Frank Zeffirelli-direct film Romeo and Juliet was released, based on the famous play by William Shakespeare. The film was a hit and was nominated for four Academy Awards, but it also sparked controversy over the scene where the film’s young stars, Olivia Husey and Leonard Whiting they were naked and Whiting’s buttocks and Hussey’s bare breasts were shown.

Now in their 70s, Hussey and Whiting filed a lawsuit in Santa Monica Superior Court, accusing Paramount Studios of sexually exploiting them and distributing nude pictures of teenage children.

The lawsuit alleges that Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, assured both actors that there would be no nudes in the film and that they would wear flesh-colored undergarments in the bedroom scene. But in the final days of shooting, the director allegedly begged them to perform naked and in makeup, “or the film would fail.”

Hussey was 15 at the time and Whiting was 16. According to the complaint, Zeffirelli showed them where the camera would be placed and assured them that no nudity would be photographed or released in the film. The lawsuit alleges that he was dishonest and that Whiting and Hussey were actually filmed naked without their knowledge.

Tony Marinozzi, who is a business manager for both actors, said in a statement:

“What they were told and what happened were two different things. They trusted Franco. At 16, as actors, they decided it wasn’t going to violate the trust they had. Franco was their friend, and frankly, at 16, what do they do? There are no options. There was no #MeToo.

According to the complaint, Hussey and Whiting have suffered from mental anguish and emotional distress in the 55 years since the film’s release, and have also lost business opportunities. Despite their successful performances, Hussey and Whiting only had very limited acting careers Romeo and Juliet.

They are seeking damages “believed to exceed $500 million.”

The actors’ attorney, Solomon Gresen, said in an interview:

“Nude images of minors are illegal and should not be exhibited. These were very young, naive kids in the 1960s who had no understanding of what was about to hit them. Suddenly they’ve become famous on a level they never expected, and also they’ve been violated in a way they didn’t know how to deal with.”

The lawsuit is based in part on a California law that temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for previous child sexual abuse claims. Courts have seen an influx of lawsuits against the Boy Scouts of America and the Catholic Church, among other organizations, in the days leading up to the Dec. 31 deadline.

I think all crimes of a sexual and/or violent nature should be treated according to today’s standards, especially when minors are involved. I hope these two actors are able to fully deal with their trauma and heal.

via: variety