Olivia Hussey, who rose to fame as a teenager in the 1968 adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, has passed away at 73. According to her family, she died peacefully on Friday, December 27, surrounded by loved ones.
Hussey was born on April 17, 1951, in Buenos Aires and moved to London as a child. She began acting at 13 and appeared in minor roles before being cast in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet. The film became a box office sensation, making Hussey an overnight star alongside co-star Leonard Whiting.
After Romeo & Juliet, Hussey continued to act on stage and screen, including appearances in the TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth and the horror film Black Christmas. She also starred in the 1990 miniseries based on Stephen King’s It and played Norman Bates’ mother in Psycho IV: The Beginning.
Hussey stepped back from acting in 2016 after making her final film appearance in 2015’s Social Suicide. Before that, she was married three times, including to musician David Glen Eisley, with whom she had a grandson.
In addition to her acting career, Hussey struggled with breast cancer, which went into remission after a mastectomy. However, doctors later discovered a new tumor.
Hussey’s family praised her warmth, wisdom, and kindness, saying she was “a remarkable person” who touched the lives of everyone around her. They thanked fans for their support during this difficult time and asked for privacy as they mourned the loss of a “truly special soul.”
Source: https://people.com/olivia-hussey-romeo-and-juliet-star-dead-at-73-8767171