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- Leonard Whiting is an actor finest recognized for Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 Romeo and Juliet.
- He appeared in a nude scene together with Olivia Hussey.
- In 2023, he and Olivia sued Paramount Footage for $500 million over memorable scene.
- In Might of 2023, the decide within the case moved ‘tentatively’ to dismiss it.
Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey have been the teenage stars of the 1968 movie adaptation of William Shakespeare’s traditional play Romeo And Juliet. Each stars filed a lawsuit in opposition to Paramount relating to their nude scenes within the film on Friday, December 30. The actors, who have been each youngsters when filming the film, are suing the studio for sexually exploiting them and distributing nude photos of adolescent youngsters, per Variety. Their lawsuit comes following a California legislation, which suspends the statute of limitations for claims of kid sexual abuse.
Nevertheless, decide Alison Mackenzie put forth a “tentative ruling to dismiss the case,” based on a Might 25, 2023 report by Deadline. Calling the go well with a “gross mischaracterization” of the scene, she additionally acknowledged in writing that, “Defendant’s particular movement to strike Plaintiffs’ whole Grievance …is GRANTED as every reason behind motion asserted therein arises from protected exercise and Plaintiffs have failed to indicate a chance of success on the deserves of these claims.”
Discover out extra about Leonard, 72, and the lawsuit right here.
1. Leonard and Olivia mentioned they have been each informed there could be no nudity within the movie.
Leonard was 16 when he took half within the film, and Olivia, now 71, was 15. The lawsuit claims that director Franco Zeffirelli, who died in 2019 at 96, had initially informed each stars that they’d put on nude undergarments within the controversial bed room scene, however later begged them to movie bare with physique make-up. The lawsuit additionally says that they have been informed that no nudity could be included within the film, they usually wouldn’t be filmed nude, nevertheless it was. “They trusted Franco. At 16, as actors, they took his lead that he wouldn’t violate that belief that they had. Franco was their pal, and admittedly, at 16, what do they do? There aren’t any choices. There was no #MeToo,” their supervisor Tony Marinozzi informed Selection. The 2 stars are looking for as much as $500 million in damages.
2. Leonard principally retired from performing within the Nineteen Seventies
Earlier than being forged as Romeo, Leonard had appeared in a wide range of TV roles, along with his first half coming in 1965’s The Legend of Younger Dick Turpin. A few of his different TV components included on The Magical World of Disney and Laughter from the Whitehall. After Romeo And Juliet, he was forged in a couple of extra film and TV roles, together with Frankenstein: The True Story, and 1975’s Rachel’s Man. After the 1975 movie, he not often labored on-screen. His solely roles after 1975 embrace offering the voice for a personality within the animated collection The Dreamstone in 1990, and a 2015 movie.
3. He was additionally a stage actor
Whereas his final on-screen movie function for 40 years was Rachel’s Man in 1975, Leonard did proceed performing for the stage for slightly bit longer. He performed the Pharaoh in a 1978 manufacturing of the traditional musical Joseph And The Technicolor Dream Coat, which ran till 1979, per TheatreGold. The manufacturing was additionally included on the BBC.
4. He’s been married twice
All through his life, Leonard has had three totally different wives. He first married late mannequin Cathee Dahmen in 1971 and had a daughter Sarah Beth, who handed away in 2014. After divorcing from Cathee, Leonard was in a relationship with Valerie Tobin, who he had a daughter Charlotte Westenra with. Charlotte has gone on to turn out to be a director and dramaturg, based on her website. Charlotte is clearly shut together with her dad and spoke about their relationship in an August 2016 interview with Jinshan Hong. “Typically we sit round and talk about Shakespeare collectively. We’ve had arguments over foolish issues. So often we do get into heated debates,” she informed the outlet. “I used to be actually pleased with him and I’ve acquired photos of his stills from a few of his movies.”
Leonard has been married to Lynn Presser since 1995.
5. Leonard reunited along with his ‘Romeo & Juliet’ co-star in 2015
Whereas Leonard principally stepped away from performing within the 70s, he did reunite with Olivia Hussey for the 2015 film Social Suicide, which is loosely based mostly on Romeo And Juliet, almost 50 years after they starred within the 1968 movie. As an alternative of taking part in star-crossed forbidden lovers although, the 2 performed a mom and father to the main character Julia, performed by Olivia’s daughter India Eisley.
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