The star of the 1968 movie “Romeo and Juliet” and the horror classic “Black Christmas,” Olivia Hussey Eisley, passed away, according to a statement on her Instagram profile. In 2008, she received her initial diagnosis of breast cancer, which returned in 2018.
On December 27, veteran actress Olivia Hussey, who played the lead role in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 production of Romeo and Juliet, passed away. She was seventy-three. According to a statement posted on her official Instagram account, the performer, who was born in Argentina, passed away at home with her family at her side.
In 2008, Olivia Hussey received her first breast cancer diagnosis. Olivia Hussey was only 15 when she starred in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet with 16-year-old British actor Leonard Whiting. Zeffirelli co-wrote the Paramount-distributed movie, which was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Hussey received a David di Donatello award and a Golden Globe for her performance.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who went peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on December 27th”, according to a message shared on her Instagram.
“Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her. “She lived a life full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals,” according to the statement.
The version of Shakespeare’s beloved love story by Franco Zeffirelli was not without controversy. The film’s production company, Paramount Studios, was sued in late 2022 by Hussey Eisley and co-star Leonard Whiting for releasing the film containing scenes of them in the nude while still minors. Hussey, Eisley, and Whiting, who were 15 and 16 years old at the time, respectively, were informed by Zeffirelli that “they must act in the nude or the picture would fail,” according to the complaint. May 2023 saw the dismissal of the lawsuit.
Later, Hussey Eisley starred in the horror movie “Black Christmas” in 1974 and made an appearance in the Agatha Christie adaptation “Death on the Nile” in 1978. In 1977, she collaborated with Zeffirelli once more, as Mary, in the television miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Hussey Eisley was featured in some horror films in the 1990s, such as “Psycho IV: The Beginning” and the Stephen King miniseries adaptation of the same name. She later starred in the comedy “Tortilla Heaven,” the horror “El Grito,” and the biographical picture “Mother Teresa” in the early 2000s.
The statement reads, “As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul”.
Olivia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 17, 1951. Her mother, Joy, was an English-born legal secretary, and her father, an Argentine opera singer, went by the stage name Osvaldo Rib³. According to the statement, Olivia leaves behind a loving family that will always be treasured in our hearts, including her husband of 35 years, David Glen Eisley; grandchildren, Alex, Max, and India; as well as a legacy of love that will last a lifetime.