(CNN) — Olivia Hussey Eisley, star of the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet” and the slasher movie classic “Black Christmas,” has died, a post on her Instagram page announced. She was 73 years old.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on December 27th,” the statement read on her Instagram. It is written. “Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and genuine kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her.”
Romeo and Juliet was the British-Argentine actress’ big break, winning her a Golden Globe Award for her performance as Juliet.
Franco Zeffirelli’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic love story was not without controversy. In late 2022, Hussie Eisley and co-star Leonard Whiting filed a lawsuit against production company Paramount Studios for allowing the release of a film that included scenes of underage nudity. According to the complaint, Zeffirelli told Hussie Eisley and Whiting, who were 15 and 16 years old at the time, that the photo would fail if they didn’t perform in the nude. The lawsuit was dismissed in May 2023.
Hussie Eisley later starred in the 1974 horror film Black Christmas, and also appeared in the 1978 Agatha Christie novel Death on the Nile. She worked with Zeffirelli again in 1977, playing Mary in the TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth.
In the ’90s, Hussie Eisley appeared in several horror films, including Psycho IV: The Beginning and the miniseries It, which was an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. Later, in the early 2000s, she appeared in the biopic “Mother Teresa,” the thriller “El Grito,” and the comedy “Tortilla Heaven.”
Born in Buenos Aires on April 17, 1951, Olivia “lived a life filled with passion, love, dedication to the arts, spirituality and kindness to animals,” the statement said.
“Olivia leaves behind a loving family, her children Alex, Max, and India, her husband of 35 years, David Glenn Eisley, her grandson Grayson, and a legacy of love that will forever be cherished in our hearts. ” the statement reads. .
“While we mourn this immense loss, we celebrate the lasting impact Olivia has had on our lives and our industry. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. We ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul.”
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