In the October 14 broadcast of KBS2’s program Celeb Secret, producers revisited the challenges Olivia Hussey endured after being chosen out of 800 candidates to play Juliet in the 1968 classic film Romeo and Juliet.
During filming in Rome, Olivia Hussey reportedly clashed with the film’s director in a cramped dressing room. The director allegedly demanded that Hussey wear a tightly fitted corset to make her figure appear fuller for the camera. However, she refused, saying, “I can’t breathe — it’s too tight. I’d rather look slim.”
The broadcast also revealed that the production staff pressured Hussey to lose additional weight. She was reportedly taken to a hospital every day and forced to take diet pills prescribed by doctors hired by the studio. The medication caused her hands to tremble and left her feeling weak, but she wasn’t able to stop taking them until her mother later found out.
Lee Nak-jun, a physician and author, explained that such practices were common in the 1960s and 1970s Hollywood system, where studio-affiliated doctors prescribed strong stimulants — often mixed with diuretics and thyroid hormones — to help actors maintain extremely thin physiques. These so-called “diet cocktails” sped up metabolism but also led to severe side effects such as insomnia, dehydration, and heart complications. Many performers eventually became dependent on these substances to function.
Jang Do-yeon, who appeared on the show, commented, “They treated her as a tool rather than a human being,” expressing her sorrow over how young actresses were often exploited during that era.
Hussey reportedly developed agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that causes fear of open or public spaces, as a result of the traumatic experiences she endured on set.
Olivia Hussey made her screen debut in 1964 with The Crunch and rose to global fame through Romeo and Juliet, earning the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year in 1969. She passed away in December 2024 at the age of 73, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most iconic actresses of her generation.
Sources: Daum
You must be logged in to post a comment.