Romeo and Juliet actress Olivia Hussey dies aged 73
//Summary - Level-C2//
Argentine-born actress Olivia Hussey, famed for Romeo and Juliet (1968), has died at 73. Awarded a Golden Globe, she later sued Paramount over the film’s nude scenes. Her career highlights include Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Death on the Nile (1978), and voice acting roles. She reunited with co-star Leonard Whiting in 2015’s Social Suicide.
A)
Actress Olivia Hussey, who shot to international prominence as a teenager for her role in the acclaimed 1968 film version of Romeo and Juliet, has died aged 73.
The Argentine-born actress, who grew up in London, died on Friday surrounded by her loved ones, a statement posted on her Instagram said.
Hussey won the best new actress Golden Globe for her part as Juliet, but decades later she sued Paramount Pictures for sexual abuse as she was aged just 15 when she filmed the movie's nude scene.
Her other most notable screen role was as Mary, mother of Jesus, in 1977 TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth.
B)
"As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia's enduring impact on our lives and the industry," the statement said.
Hussey was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951, before moving to London aged seven and studying at the Italia Conti Academy drama school.
She was 15 when Romeo and Juliet director Franco Zeffirelli discovered her onstage, playing opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the play The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Zeffirelli was looking for someone who was young enough to be a convincing Juliet in what he intended to be the definitive cinematic version of the Shakespeare play.
He cast Hussey alongside British 16-year-old Leonard Whiting as Romeo in the film.
C)
The film was nominated for an Oscar for best picture and director. Hussey missed out on an Oscar nomination herself in a strong year in which Barbra Streisand won the main award for Funny Girl.
But at that year's Golden Globes, Hussey won the award for best new star.
Decades later, she and Whiting sued Paramount Pictures alleging Zeffirelli - who died in 2019 - had encouraged them to film nude scenes despite previous assurances they would not have to.
The pair sought damages of more than $500m (£417m), based on suffering they said they had experienced and the revenue brought in by the film since its release.
D)
But last year a judge dismissed the case, finding the scene was not "sufficiently sexually suggestive".
In 1977, Hussey had reunited with Zeffirelli for Jesus of Nazareth to play the Virgin Mary, before appearing in Death on the Nile a year later based on Agatha Christie's novel.
Her roles in early slasher film Black Christmas (1974) and TV film Psycho IV: The Beginning earned her recognition as a scream queen. In the latter, she played Norman Bates's mother in a prequel storyline.
In later years she also took on work as a voice actress, appearing frequently in video games.
But she did have one final reunion with her former Romeo - as she and Whiting appeared together in the 2015 British film Social Suicide, which was loosely based on Romeo and Juliet and set in the social media era.
//New Words//
Certainly! Here's the list in English:
1. Prominence
Meaning: The state of being important or noticeable
Example: The artist gained prominence after her latest exhibition.
2. Acclaimed
Meaning: Highly praised or celebrated
Example: The movie was critically acclaimed for its storyline.
3. Abuse
Meaning: Misuse or mistreatment
Example: The company was accused of abusing its workers.
4. Immense
Meaning: Extremely large or great
Example: The project required an immense amount of resources.
5. Convincing
Meaning: Persuasive or believable
Example: She gave a convincing argument during the debate.
6. Definitive
Meaning: Final or most authoritative
Example: This is the definitive guide to Japanese cuisine.
7. Alongside
Meaning: Together with or next to
Example: The student worked alongside her teacher on the project.
8. Alleging
Meaning: Claiming or asserting something without proof
Example: The report is alleging corruption within the organization.
9. Assurances
Meaning: Guarantees or promises
Example: The company gave assurances that the product was safe.
10. $500m (£417m)
Meaning: Five hundred million dollars (417 million pounds) 5億＝500 Million yen
Example: The deal is worth $500m (£417m) in total.
11. Revenue
Meaning: Income or earnings
Example: The company’s annual revenue exceeded expectations.
12. Sufficiently
Meaning: To an adequate or satisfactory extent
Example: The project was not sufficiently funded to succeed.
13. Slasher
Meaning: A type of horror film or someone who cuts
Example: The movie is a classic slasher film from the 1980s.
14. Prequel
Meaning: A story that takes place before another work
Example: The prequel explains the origins of the main character.
Romeo and Juliet actress Olivia Hussey dies aged 73
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdd6q5yzjq5o
