The British actress Olivia Hussey, who was awarded a Golden Globe for her role as the teenage Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, passed away yesterday, Friday, at the age of 73, as announced by her family.

The actress stood out for her performance in the film Jesus of Nazareth, where she portrayed the Virgin Mary.

“Olivia was a special person whose warmth, wisdom, and kindness touched the lives of all who knew her,” her family stated in an announcement shared on her Instagram account.

Born in Buenos Aires, Olivia Hussey was 15 years old when, alongside her co-star Leonard Whiting, then 16, she brought to life the famous lovers in the Oscar-winning film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy.

In 2023, the two actors filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures over a scene in which they appeared nude without their consent. A U.S. judge later dismissed the lawsuit in favor of Paramount.

Olivia Hussey, who won the Golden Globe for “Best New Actress” for her performance, later appeared in several films, including the 1974 horror classic Black Christmas (Greek title: Terror at the Boarding School) and Death on the Nile, the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel.