Romeo & Juliet star Olivia Hussey dead at 73

Olivia Hussey, who shot to fame as a teenager in the 1968 adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, has died.

Her passing was announced in a statement published on her Instagram account. She was 73.

Hussey died on Friday, "peacefully at her home surrounded by her loved ones", the statement read.

"Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her," her family continued, describing her life as one "full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals".

Hussey and costar Leonard Whiting were 16 and 17 at the time of filming Romeo & Juliet. They sued Paramount in December 2022, alleging that they were duped by director Franco Zeffirelli into appearing in the nude.

The judge rejected that argument, finding in May last year that the scene in question was not "sufficiently sexually suggestive" to meet the definition.

Romeo & Juliet was a major sensation when it was released, largely due to Zeffirelli's decision to cast teenagers in the lead roles. It was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two.

Hussey is survived by her children, Alex, Max and India; her husband, musician David Glen Eisley; and a grandson, Greyson.