Editing Romeo and Juliet (1968 film) (section)

===Lawsuit===
Despite her previous defense of the film's [[nudity]], asserting that it was done "tastefully" and was "needed for the film",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/romeo-and-juliet-child-abuse-nude-scene-lawsuit-1235477837/|title='Romeo and Juliet' Stars Sue Paramount for Child Abuse Over Nude Scene in 1968 Film|work=Variety|first=Gene|last=Maddaus|date=3 January 2023|access-date=23 January 2023|archive-date=3 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103235234/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/romeo-and-juliet-child-abuse-nude-scene-lawsuit-1235477837/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hussey, along with Whiting, filed a lawsuit on 3 January 2023 in the Los Angeles County Superior Court against Paramount Pictures for US$500 million, alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud, and for allowing Zeffirelli to film them in the nude without their knowledge.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Romeo And Juliet Lawsuit: Judge Rules Nude Scene Not Classified As Child Pornography |url=https://www.kcgmckarnal.org/romeo-and-juliet-lawsuit-judge-rules-nude-scene-not-classified-as-child-pornography/ |date=May 27, 2023 |work=[[Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College]] |language=en |access-date=27 May 2023 |archive-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527065713/https://www.kcgmckarnal.org/romeo-and-juliet-lawsuit-judge-rules-nude-scene-not-classified-as-child-pornography/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The suit alleges that the actors feel this caused them to suffer through emotional damage and mental anguish for decades after the film's success, and left them with careers that failed to reflect that success.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-09|title=Archive footage of the filming in Tuscania|url=https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/archive-footage-of-the-filming-in-tuscania/|access-date=2023-01-04|website=The Romeo and Juliet 1968 Movie Database|language=en-US|archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104194344/https://romeo-juliet-1968.com/archive-footage-of-the-filming-in-tuscania/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-franco-zeffirelli-lawsuits-legal-proceedings-f62cad4b78eec5d0486eef8a20ce35d5| title='Romeo & Juliet' stars sue over 1968 film's teen nude scene|first=Andrew|last=Dalton|date=3 January 2023|url-status=live| website=AP News| archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104015511/https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-franco-zeffirelli-lawsuits-legal-proceedings-f62cad4b78eec5d0486eef8a20ce35d5}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/01/sexual-abuse-lawsuit-paramount-romeo-amp-juliet-stars-movie-1235210875/|title=Paramount Hit With $100M Sexual Abuse Suit By Stars Of 1968's 'Romeo & Juliet' Movie|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Dominic|last=Patten|date=3 January 2023|access-date=4 January 2023|archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104015517/https://deadline.com/2023/01/sexual-abuse-lawsuit-paramount-romeo-amp-juliet-stars-movie-1235210875/|url-status=live}}</ref> Zeffirelli's son responded to the lawsuit critically, calling it "embarrassing" that Hussey and Whiting filed the suit "55 years after filming" and that they owe their entire careers to the success of the film.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://screenrant.com/romeo-juliet-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-director-son-response/ | title=Romeo and Juliet Director's Son Slams Actors' Sexual Abuse Lawsuit | website=[[Screen Rant]] | date=8 January 2023 | access-date=3 March 2023 | archive-date=3 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303215357/https://screenrant.com/romeo-juliet-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-director-son-response/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/jan/06/franco-zeffirelli-son-criticises-romeo-juliet-actors-olivia-hussey-leonard-whiting-nudity-lawsuit | title=Franco Zeffirelli's son criticises Romeo and Juliet actors for nudity lawsuit | newspaper=The Guardian | date=6 January 2023 | last1=Giuffrida | first1=Angela | access-date=3 March 2023 | archive-date=3 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303215355/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/jan/06/franco-zeffirelli-son-criticises-romeo-juliet-actors-olivia-hussey-leonard-whiting-nudity-lawsuit | url-status=live }}</ref>

The lawsuit was later dismissed on 25 May 2023, by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Alison Mackenzie, who stated that the case did not meet the requirements for suspending the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. Mackenzie also criticized the plaintiffs for "cherry picking" which statutes applied to their case.<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526143749/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65725714|archivedate=May 26, 2023|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65725714|title=Actors lose Romeo & Juliet nude scene lawsuit|work=BBC News|date=May 26, 2023|accessdate=June 2, 2023}}</ref> Hussey and Whiting are allegedly planning to appeal the ruling, as well as file a separate lawsuit based on a much more "recent [[The Criterion Collection|Criterion]] DVD release of the film which would not be affected by the statute of limitations."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/may/25/romeo-juliet-movie-franco-zeffirelli-child-abuse-lawsuit|title=Romeo and Juliet movie child abuse lawsuit to be thrown out by judge|author=Benjamin Lee|work=The Guardian|date=May 25, 2023|accessdate=June 2, 2023|archive-date=2 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602143317/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/may/25/romeo-juliet-movie-franco-zeffirelli-child-abuse-lawsuit|url-status=live}}</ref>

A second lawsuit was dismissed on 21 October 2024, by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Holly J. Fujie, in which Hussey and Whiting claimed that the Criterion physical media release triggered a new statute of limitations. The new lawsuit was filed under state and federal laws intended to combat "revenge pornography", which prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images. Judge Fujie stated in full, "A comparison of the 2023 release with the prior versions shows no significant visible improvement in the film, particularly in the bedroom scene, to the naked eye. Even in the absence of express consent, however, Plaintiffs' subsequent conduct in the decades that followed since the film's original 1968 release speaks to Plaintiffs' implied ratification and approval of the film, including the bedroom scene. This includes, among others, appearances and statements made by Plaintiffs during interviews and attendance at film festivals, during which Plaintiffs did not object to the continuing release and distribution of the successive releases of the film."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maddaus |first=Gene |date=2024-10-21 |title=Judge Again Dismisses ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Lawsuit Over Underage Nude Scene |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/romeo-juliet-lawsuit-dismissed-again-olivia-hussey-leonard-whiting-1236184850/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>