“Romeo and Juliet,” “Black Christmas” star, was 73

Olivia Hussey Eisley, a British-Argentinian actress who was chosen to star in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” and later in the slasher classic “Black Christmas” and the film “Death on the Nile” from 1978, died on Friday. She was 73.

Hussey’s death was confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle by filmmaker Marc Huestis and announced on the actor’s Instagram account.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who went home peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on December 27th,” the statement on social media said. “Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom and pure kindness touched the lives of everyone who knew her. … Olivia lived a life full of passion, love and devotion to the arts, spirituality and kindness to animals.”

After making his debut in the West End production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie alongside Vanessa Redgrave, Hussey was sought out for the lead role in Italian director Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The film, in which Hussey played lovers alongside Leonard Whiting, brought its two teenage stars onto the world stage. They were each nominated in their respective gender category for Most Promising Newcomer at the 1969 Golden Globe Awards, while Zeffirelli’s film itself received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.

After starring roles in All the Right Noises and The Summertime Killer, Hussey was cast in the lead role in Bob Clark’s 1974 horror film Black Christmas, now widely considered a precursor to the slasher genre. Hussey played Jessica, a sorority girl whose house is haunted by an unknown, deranged murderer. Hussey also appeared in the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, in which Peter Utsinov played the role of Hercule Poirot.

Hussey is survived by her husband, David Glen Eisley; her children Alex, Max and India; and her grandson Greyson.

More to come…