Judge dismisses Romeo and Juliet teen nudity case brought by stars of 1968 film

California Judge Alison Mackenzie signaled she would deny the request Romeo and Juliet child molestation lawsuit filed by movie stars Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting.

Earlier this year, Hussey and Whiting, who starred in the 1968 film adaptation Romeo and Juliet, filed a lawsuit against Paramount, accusing the production company of sexual harassment, fraud, sexual abuse and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit stemmed from a scene in the film that showed nude photos of both actors that were filmed when Hussey and Whiting were allegedly minors.

The complaint alleged that director Franco Zeffirelli, who died in 2019 at the age of 96, told the main actors that there would be no nudity in the film, but ultimately kept his word. In January, Zeffirelli’s son Pippo called the lawsuit “embarrassing” and said the nude scene at the center of the complaint was “far from pornographic.”

This week, Judge Mackenzie indicated that she would side with the studio in this case.

She determined that the scene was protected by the First Amendment, stating that the actors “did not provide any authorization. “Showing the film at this location may be considered sufficiently sexually suggestive under the law to be completely illegal.”

The judge found that the plaintiffs had “chosen” the law and failed to provide a legal basis for why it should apply to “purported works of artistic value such as the award-winning film at issue here.”

She cited appeals court precedent that said child pornography is “particularly disgusting” but “not all images of naked children are pornographic.”

In her written decision, she also said the lawsuit fell outside the bounds of California law, which temporarily suspends the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases, and that the film’s February re-release did not change that.

Hussey and Whiting’s attorney condemned the decision and said they plan to file another version of the lawsuit in federal court.

“We strongly believe that the exploitation and sexualization of minors in the film industry must be confronted and addressed legally to protect vulnerable people from harm and ensure that existing laws are enforced,” lawyer Solomon Gresen said in a statement.

The actors sought damages “which are estimated to exceed $500 million, equal to the amount the film has earned since 1968.”

Romeo and Juliet is a 1968 coming-of-age romantic drama based on William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. Paramount’s lawyer declined to comment to The Associated Press about the ruling.

(Additional reporting from agencies)

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