- Author, André Rhoden-Paul
- Role, BBC News
Actress Olivia Hussey, wey enta limelight as a teenager for her role for di ogbonge 1968 film version of Romeo and Juliet, don die at di age of 73.
Di Argentinian-born actress, wey grow up for London, die on Friday surrounded by her loved ones, one statement wey dem post on her Instagram account confam.
Hussey bin win di best new actress Golden Globe for her role as Juliet, but decades later she sue Paramount Pictures for sexual abuse as she be just 15-year-old wen she feem di nude scene for di movie.
Her oda most notable screen role na wen she act as Mary, mother of Jesus, for 1977 TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth.
“As we dey grief dis immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia enduring impact on our lives and di industry,” di statement tok.
Profile of Olivia Hussey
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Dem born Hussey for Buenos Aires, Argentina, for 1951, bifor dem move go London at age seven and she begin to study for di Italia Conti Academy drama school.
She be 15 wen Romeo and Juliet director Franco Zeffirelli discover am onstage. She bin play opposite Vanessa Redgrave in di play ‘Di Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’.
Zeffirelli bin dey find pesin wey dey young enough to play di role of Juliet for wetin e intend go be di final cinematic version of di Shakespeare play.
E cast Hussey plus 16-year-old Leonard Whiting as Romeo for di feem.
Di feem bin dey nominated for Oscar for best picture and director. Hussey bin miss one Oscar nomination herself for one strong year wey Barbra Streisand win di main award for Funny Girl.
But for dat year Golden Globes, Hussey win di award for best new star.
Decades later, she and Whiting sue Paramount Pictures on top accuse say Zeffirelli – wey die for 2019 – bin encourage dem to feem nude scenes even though e bin assure dem bifor say dem no go need act nude.
Di two of dem dey seek damages of more dan $500m (£417m), on top accuse of suffering wey dem tok say dem don experience and di revenue wey di feem bring in since di release.
For 1977, Hussey bin reunite wit Zeffirelli for Jesus of Nazareth movie to play di role of Virgin Mary, bifor she appear for Death on di Nile one year later based on Agatha Christie novel.
Her roles in early slasher feem Black Christmas (1974) and TV film Psycho IV: Di Beginning bin earn her recognition as scream queen. Later, she play Norman Bates mama for di storyline.
For her later years, she also start to work as voice actress, and she show well-well for video games.
But she bin hold one final reunion wit her former Romeo – as she and Whiting show togeda for di 2015 British feem Social Suicide, wey dey based on Romeo and Juliet and set for di social media era.