Romeo and Juliet, Franco Zeffirelli’s son speaks: “Embarrassing to denounce 55 years later”

The battle of Olivia Hussey and of Leonard Whitingwho in 1968 took part in the filming of Romeo and Juliet by Franco Zeffirelli in the role of the two protagonists, shows no signs of dying out. It all started in early January, when the actors announced that they had sued Paramount for alleged charges sexual harassment suffered on the set of the film 54 years ago: the two claim, in fact, that they were deceived by the director, who psychologically forced them to show their nudity in front of the camera even though they were minors. A few days after the outbreak of the controversy that has begun to proliferate especially in the United States, it is time to intervene on the issue Pippo Zeffirelliadopted son of the director who passed away in 2019 at the age of 96.

In an interview with The Guardian, Zeffirelli Junior lashes out against Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, who allegedly asked Paramount for compensation of several hundred million dollars to overcome the trauma suffered. «Zeffirelli himself was accused of being a reactionary precisely because he, more than once, had spoken out against pornography. The images of nudity in the film express the beauty, the transference, I would even say the candor of giving oneself to one another, and contain no morbidity. It is embarrassing to hear today, 55 years after filming, two elderly actors who owe their notoriety essentially to this film wake up to declare that they have suffered an abuse that has caused them years of anxiety and emotional turmoil,” said Pippo Zeffirelli.

«It seems to me that in all these years they have always maintained a relationship of deep gratitude and friendship towards Zeffirelli, releasing hundreds of interviews on the happy memory of their very fortunate experience, crowned by an international success», commented Pippo, suggesting between the lines how incorrect it was to pronounce now that Franco is no longer here and he doesn’t have the possibility or to answer nor to get an idea of ​​the matter. The theme of nudity in front of the camera, as Valeria Golino also recently explained to Vanity Fairis deeply felt in America – over the years various figures have been born, such as the intimacy coordinator. times precisely to protect the actors to avoid them from trauma -, but the doubt that the two actors have chosen this moment in a strategic way to highlight their discomfort – it must be said that nudity is seen in less than 10 seconds of film – to someone stay.

Romeo and JulietZeffirelli’s actors sue Paramount (54 years later) over a nude scene

What Franco Zeffirelli was like in the memories of those who (rim) mourn him

The podcast We sofa: The French DispatchWes Anderson’s homage to nostalgia

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