Actors lose Romeo & Juliet nude scene lawsuit. A Los Angeles judge has ruled that a child sex assault case filed by the performers of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet will be dismissed.
Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting claimed the film’s director forced them to film naked when they were young.
A Superior Court judge ruled that the scene was not “sufficiently sexually suggestive” to override First Amendment rights.
Actors lose Romeo & Juliet nude scene lawsuit. Hussey was 15 and Whiting was 16 at the time of filming.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Alison Mackenzie stated in a tentative judgment issued on Thursday that the plaintiffs “cherry-picked” which legislation pertained to their case. She further claimed that the complaint did not fit the criteria for postponing the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse.
Ms. Hussey’s attorney, Solomon Gresen, told BBC News that the ruling was on “the wrong side of this issue.”
Mr. Gresen stated, “There is no First Amendment protection for naked children simulating sexual congress.”
He stated that his clients are considering an appeal and that he expects to pursue a separate federal action.
Ms Hussey and Mr. Whiting, both in their 70s, announced in a joint statement that they will battle on.
“We waited for justice for 55 years.” “I suppose we’ll have to wait a little longer,” they remarked.
The stars sued Paramount Pictures for sexual harassment and child sexual assault in December. They alleged that the film’s director, Franco Zeffirelli, encouraged them to record naked scenes despite previous guarantees that they would not be required to do so.
According to the original allegation, Zeffirelli, who died in 2019, told them that they had to act naked “or the Picture would fail.”
According to the claim, he subsequently guaranteed both actors that the cameras would not capture any nudity.
Whiting’s bare buttocks and Hussey’s bare breasts were, nevertheless, briefly exposed in the final film during the scene.
“We firmly believe that the exploitation and sexualization of minors in the film industry must be confronted and legally addressed in order to protect vulnerable individuals from harm and ensure the enforcement of existing laws,” Mr. Gresen said in a statement.
The 1968 remake of Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet received a slew of Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography.
However, the classic bedroom scene has also aroused debate throughout the years.
The film is still shown in classrooms around the world during William Shakespeare’s teachings.
Also read: Why study Shakespeare?
