‘Romeo and Juliet’ actors sue film studio for child sexual exploitation

Actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting filed a lawsuit against Paramount film studios, accusing them of child sexual exploitation for a nude scene in the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet”.

The specialized magazine “Variety” announced that the protagonists of the film directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1923-2019) filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Santa Monica, in the United States, accusing Paramount of sexually exploiting them and distributing nude images of them still teenagers.

The lawsuit alleges that the film’s director promised the actors that the film would not feature nudity and would instead wear underwear in the bed scene necessary for the storytelling.

According to the plaintiffs, days before filming, Zeffirelli pleaded with Hussey, 15, and Whiting, 16, to act nude with body makeup, otherwise the film would fail, and vowed not to photograph or publish any nudity, thus breaking his promise.

The two actors claim compensation worth more than US$ 500 million (approximately R$ 2.7 billion), and denounce that since the premiere of the film, both actors have been emotionally affected and limited in their job offers because of this.

“Images of nude minors are illegal and should not be displayed,” the actors’ attorney, Solomon Gresen, told Variety.

The lawsuit was filed under California’s Child Victims Act, which allows survivors of child sexual abuse to file civil suits and which temporarily lifts the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of older children.

THE CNN did not speak to Paramount Film Studios.

(Posted by Carolina Farias)