Romeo and Juliet stars sue Paramount for underage nude scene 55 years later

The stars of the 1968 Romeo and Juliet movie have sued Paramount Footage for greater than $500 million, claiming they endured sexual abuse as a result of a nude scene within the movie that was shot whereas they have been minors.

Olivia Hussey, 71, and Leonard Whiting, 72, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom.

Hussey and Whiting, who have been 15 and 16, respectively, on the time of filming, additionally alleged they endured sexual harassment and fraud when advised by director Franco Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, that they have to act within the nude with solely physique make-up throughout a bed room scene towards the top of the film, in accordance with the Related Press.

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The actors claimed they have been initially advised they'd put on flesh-colored undergarments however that on the morning of the shoot, Zeffirelli modified that, assuring them the digicam wouldn't present nudity.

But the lawsuit states they have been filmed within the nude with out their data, which is a violation of California and federal legal guidelines towards baby exploitation and indecency.

“Nude pictures of minors are illegal and shouldn’t be exhibited,” the actors’ legal professional Solomon Gresen advised Selection. “These have been very younger naive kids within the ’60s who had no understanding of what was about to hit them. Swiftly, they have been well-known at a stage they by no means anticipated, and as well as, they have been violated in a means they didn’t know find out how to cope with.”

Hussey and Whiting declare Zeffirelli advised them they have to undergo with the scene within the nude “or the Image would fail,” main them to consider “that they had no alternative however to behave within the nude in physique make-up as demanded,” in accordance with the lawsuit.

The lawsuit relies upon, partially, on a California legislation that has quickly suspended the statute of limitations for baby intercourse abuse claims.

Courtroom filings state each actors have suffered psychological and emotional hurt in consequence.