Lawsuit over nude scene in movie “Romeo and Juliet” dismissed Man in Japan shoots two police officers and kills two women

More than 50 years after the theatrical release of “Romeo and Juliet,” the two protagonists sued the production company for millions in damages over a nude scene. But the lawsuit they are pursuing in the state of California is off: a Los Angeles court dismissed the lawsuit Thursday.

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, who filed suit against Paramount Pictures in December, said director Franco Zeffirelli pressured them to shoot nude for a bed scene while filming the 1968 Shakespeare adaptation. As minors, they were given the insurance that their naked bodies would not later appear in the film, they said. Previously, they wore skin-colored underwear during love scenes. In the film, the breasts of the then 16-year-old Hussey and the bare buttocks of the then 17-year-old Whiting can be seen for a few seconds.

The lawsuit, seeking millions of dollars in damages, revolved around sexual harassment, fraud and inflicting mental problems. The responsible judge rejected, among other things, the accusation that the nude scenes amounted to child pornography.

The actors’ lawyer, Solomon Gresen, criticized the court’s decision. Minors cannot consent to sexually explicit conduct, the lawyer said in a statement. They now want to take the case to federal court after the Romeo and Juliet movie was re-released earlier this year. The film industry’s exploitation and sexualization of minors must be stopped, Gresen wrote.

“Romeo and Juliet” was a huge hit at the box office, winning Oscars in 1969 for cinematography and costume design. After that, both protagonists did not get any bigger roles. (saw/sda/dpa)