Olivia Hussey, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Actress, Dead at 73

Olivia Hussey, the actress who starred in 1968’s Romeo and Juliet, has died. She was 73.

Hussey’s passing was announced in a post on her official Instagram account on Friday, Dec. 27. She died “peacefully” earlier Friday while at her home “surrounded by her loved ones,” the statement said. The post did not identify Hussey’s cause of death.

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The actress was remembered as “a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her.” She “lived a life full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals,” the statement said.

Hussey was born on April 17, 1951, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her breakthrough film role was as Juliet Capulet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 adaptation of the William Shakespeare classic. Hussey, who was 16 at the time of the film’s release in the United Kingdom, starred in the movie with Leonard Whiting, who played Romeo Montague. The film won two Oscars at the 41st Academy Awards in 1969 in the Cinematography and Costume Design categories.

Hussey went on to appear in the 1977 miniseries Jesus of Nazareth, 1978’s Death on the Nile, 1990’s Psycho IV: The Beginning and the 1990 miniseries based on Stephen King’s It. In recent years, she worked as a voice actress for a handful of Star Wars video games.

Hussey is survived by her husband, David Glen Eisley, her three children, Alex, Max and India, and her grandson, Greyson, according to Thursday’s Instagram post.

“As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry,” the post said. “We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul.”

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