Stars of 1968 'Romeo and Juliet' sue Paramount over underage nude scene

[orleans]

https://abc7chicago.com/romeo-and-juliet-film-1968-teen-nudity-lawsuit/12655376

LOS ANGELES -- The two stars of 1968's "Romeo and Juliet" sued Paramount Pictures for more than $500 million on Tuesday over a nude scene in the film shot when they were teens.

Olivia Hussey, then 15 and now 71, and Leonard Whiting, then 16 now 72, filed the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud.

Director Franco Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, initially told the two that they would wear flesh-colored undergarments in the bedroom scene that comes late in the movie and was shot on the final days of filming, the suit alleges.

But on the morning of the shoot, Zeffirelli told Whiting, who played Romeo, and Hussey, who played Juliet, that they would wear only body makeup, while still assuring them the camera would be positioned in a way that would not show nudity, according to the suit.

more at above link

this made me think of brooke shields in pretty baby (1978) when she was 11 yrs old. then on to blue lagoon. i don't recall hearing she has sued over those films--at least not yet.

[Torchlight]

1. A new CA statute has suspended the statute of limitations for sex abuse.

I think it's happening now because CA has recently suspended the statute of limitations for child sex abuse. I'm guessing a lot of Harvey Weinstein's are quickly counseling up with lawyers, hoping to get on top of a lot of crap pulled back in the day.

[dem4decades]

2. I don't recall a nude scene but as a 15 year old I was quite smitten by Juliet.

But I was smart enough not to get involved with her, you know, her family and all.

[PCIntern]

3. Yes!!

When she leaned over the balcony in that low cut dress she was wearing… Oh, my effing God!

On edit I was 15 as well.

[dem4decades]

6. I don't remember that scene either.

And if you believe that I have a bridge to sell you on Brooklyn.

[Kennah]

16. We saw it in 6th grade, and I was smitten with her

[flying_wahini]

4. Sounds like a stretch to me. Would be Interested to know if they protested this during the

Shoot or if their agents protested on their behalf.
They could have said No, right?

I mean this was filmed over fifty years ago.

[niyad]

8. JFC They were MINORS!

[orleans]

13. did you read the article at the link? nt

[sl8]

17. Could 15 and 16 year olds legally consent to that?

Last edited Thu Jan 5, 2023, 07:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Age of consent (for sex, not movie nudity) was 18 then in California. I don't know if 15 or 16 year olds could sign contracts or not.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. Looks like

a straight up money grab to me. The scene was short, very tastefully shot, and the movie made both of them, especially Hussey, famous. I guess someone must be short on cash.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

14. Perhaps their grandkids are short on cash and talked them into this undertaking

looking for a bigger inheritance.

I think asking for a ton of money over this is a joke myself.

Suing to remove that scene from any future printings of dvd's, or any future streamings, that I could totally respect (though still think 54 years is awfully long to wait), that kind of thing ... no problem.

But 1/2 a Billion $$$ because your 15 yr old boobs were in a movie in 1968? Lol ...

[snowybirdie]

7. Where were

their parents? Shouldn't they be complicit? A stretch to sue at 70+. Damages?

[FakeNoose]

10. I must have seen the PG version because I don't remember that scene at all

In 1968 I was 17, same age as Leonard Whiting. I'm certain I saw the movie but there was no nude scene that I can remember. Maybe they shot one rated PG and another one rated R? I don't know.

[sl8]

11. She did sue Garry Gross over his nude photoshoot of her when she was 10.

He described the theme as "to reveal the not-so-latent sexuality of the prepubescent child."


https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2009/oct/03/brooke-shields-nude-child-photograph

[SharonClark]

12. Our entire 10th grade English class saw it and loved it.

It was beautifully done. If there was a problem with the nudity or a violation of their no-nudity contract that should have dealt with years ago. Like 55 years ago.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. Really surprised about a lot of reactions from people to this story.