Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting to play Romeo and Juliet
May 05, 1967 - Youthful Romeo and Juliet : 16 year old Leonard Whiting and 15 year old Olivia Hussey will play the star crossed lovers in Franco Zeffirelli's film Romeo and Juliet. They were chosen from over 300 contenders in a three month search. It is the first time Romeo and Juliet has been filmed with such a youthful cast. The film will be shot in colour at studios in Rome and on location in Italy. Filming begins in June and will last three months. The producers are Anthony Havelock-Allan and John Brabourne, It is a Paramount picture. Leonard Whiting was born in Hornsey, North London, and played the Artful Dodger in Oliver in the West end for 15 months. Olivia Hussey was born in Buenos Aires where her father, an Argentinian, was an opera singer. He died when she was two. Her mother is English and brought Olivia and her younger brother Andrew back to this country eight years ago. Photo shows Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey the new Romeo and Juliet, pictured yesterday
