[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Several different generations grew up aware of this controversy!
previous Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes and The Cardigansat Romeo and Juliet every 8th grade literature class must watch is the 1968 version he directed Franco Zeffirelli. It was a big hit that was nominated for four Oscarand for years considered at the film version of Shakespeare’s classic. It helps that for more verisimilitude, the Italian filmmaker cast real teenagers to play the titular star-crossed lovers instead of experienced adults as one occasionally sees on stage. It makes the play so much more sense with that context. This would all be fine if not for one scene…
As those of you who lived through the teacher who tried hard to fast-forward the ancient VHS tape know, after Romeo and Juliet finished their marriage, they were shown in bed in the morning – mute! And you see only the moment of Romeo’s ass and Juliet’s breasts. There’s just a bit of confusion, but considering Leonard Whiting was 16 years old at the time and Olivia Hussey only 15, it’s pretty sketchy – even for the ’60s.
Photo: Kourtney Kardashian & Travis Barker Throw ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Bach Party!
Turns out the actor is still pretty upset about all this years later! In fact, they say it’s more than just filming a mute – they’re being tricked! According to the surprise report variety there, Whiting and Hussey, who are both in their 70s now, filed a lawsuit last week against Paramount for sexual exploitation and distribution of nude images of teenage children. yes.
She claims Zeffirelli (who died in 2019) first told her she would wear flesh-colored underwear to protect her modesty. Then as the scene approaches, he asks her to be mute “or the Picture will fail.” However, he claimed, he assured the camera angle that his private bits would not be exposed. Unfortunately for teachers across the country, that is not true. As a couple’s business manager Tony Marinozzi put it:
“What he said and what happened are two different things. He trusted Franco. At 16, as an actor, he took the lead not to violate the trust he had. Franco was a friend, and frankly, at 16, what he did ? No choice. No #MeToo.”
They complain in the suit how they suffer mental suffering and emotional suffering in 55 years since the film shame and betray them. He also denied that he lost job opportunities because of his muteness. prosecutor Solomon Gresen explained:
“Nude pictures of children are illegal and should not be shown. These are naive children in the 60s who did not know what to do. Suddenly they became famous on a level that we did not expect, and they were also violated in a way that don’t know how to deal with it.
As compensation, he demanded from Paramount a number “believed to be more than $500 million.” Half a billion?! wow
The point is, a few years ago Hussey looked different from the scene. He defended it in an interview with variety in 2018, saying that “no one my age has done it before,” it was shot well and “it was necessary for the film,” explaining:
“It’s not that big of a deal. And Leonard is not shy at all! In the middle of filming, I completely forgot that I had no clothes.
What has changed? Well, there is a temporary suspension of the statute of limitations for claims of child sexual abuse in California – which ended on December 31, so they entered right on the wire.
What do you think about the actors’ lawsuit?
[Image via Paramount/YouTube.]