Though it’s been nearly 55 years sinceFranco Zeffirelli’sRomeo & Julietarrived in theaters, the actors who brought the star-crossed lovers to the big screen are suingParamountover one particularly scandalous scene.
Variety reports that starsOlivia HusseyandLeonard Whiting, who were only 15 and 16 when the film premiered,filed a lawsuit against the studioFriday over a nude bedroom scene in the 1968 blockbuster—one that the actors claim was filmed without their knowledge or consent.
The duo claim Zeffirelli had promised the then-teen actors there wouldn’t be any real nudity in the film, but later backtracked, claiming they would need to perform the scene with no clothes “or the Picture would fail.” The late director then allegedly went on to film the scene nude “without their knowledge.”
But Hussey and Whiting say that as minors, they couldn’t have consented to appearing nude on film—even if they had known it was happening—and seek to hold the studio accountable.
According to the complaint that the pair filed with Santa Monica’s Superior Court, Paramount is accused of sexual exploitation and distributing nude images of minors; Hussey and Whiting, now in their 70s, are seeking damages “believed to be in excess of $500 million” for mental anguish and negative impacts on their careers.
Accusing Paramount of sexual exploitation and distributing nude images of adolescent, Hussey and Whiting are seeking damages “believed to be in excess of $500 million,” citing mental anguish and negative impacts on their careers, according to the complaint filed with Santa Monica Superior Court.
“Nude images of minors are unlawful and shouldn’t be exhibited,” the actors' attorney Solomon Gresen shared in an interview, explaining that the teens had no idea what was awaiting them on the other side of the scandalous on-screen scene.
“These were very young naive children in the ’60s who had no understanding of what was about to hit them. All of a sudden they were famous at a level they never expected, and in addition they were violated in a way they didn’t know how to deal with.”
Related:This is Why 1968 Was the Most Radical Year in Cinema
‘There Was No #MeToo’:Romeo & JulietStars' Business Manager Speaks Out
Tony Marinozzi, business manager for both Hussey and Whiting, acknowledged that it would have been difficult (if not impossible) for the young actors to push back against Zeffirelli’s alleged actions at the time.
“What they were told and what went on were two different things. They trusted Franco. At 16, as actors, they look his lead that he would not violate that trust they had,” Marinozzi said, adding that the film industry was many years away from the #MeToo movement—a motivating factor for modern stars to speak up.
“Franco was their friend, and frankly, at 16, what do they do? There are no options. There was no #MeToo.”
