LOS ANGELES (AP) — Olivia Hussey Eisley, the Argentine-British actress best known for her Golden Globe-winning role as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 “Romeo and Juliet,” died December 27 at her home surrounded by family. She was 73.
Her death was announced through her official Instagram account. “Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her,” the statement read.
Born April 17, 1951, in Buenos Aires, Hussey Eisley gained international recognition as a teenager in Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The film later became the subject of controversy when she and co-star Leonard Whiting filed a lawsuit against Paramount Studios in 2022, alleging they were pressured into performing nude scenes as minors. The lawsuit was dismissed in May 2023.
Her career spanned multiple genres, including horror classic “Black Christmas” (1974), Agatha Christie adaptation “Death on the Nile” (1978), and a second collaboration with Zeffirelli in “Jesus of Nazareth” (1977), where she portrayed Mary.
In the 1990s, she appeared in “Psycho IV: The Beginning” and Stephen King’s “It” miniseries. Her later work included roles in “Mother Teresa” (2003), “El Grito,” and “Tortilla Heaven.”
“Olivia leaves behind a loving family and a legacy of love that will forever be cherished in our hearts,” her family stated. “As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry.”
She is survived by her husband of 35 years, David Glen Eisley; children Alex, Max, and India; and grandson Greyson.
