Teen-age Romeo And Juliet

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31420, 13 July 1967, Page 3

Teen-age Romeo And Juliet

(Bu

ZALIA THOMAS)

LONDON.

Director Franco Zeffirelli’s decision to cast a comparatively unknown actress and actor as Romeo and Juliet in his milliondollar film version of Shakespeare’s tragedy meant a three-month search throughout Britain to find the right teen-agers. They are Olivia Hussey, aged 15, and Leonard Whiting, aged 16, who are now In Rome, where they are breathing fresh air, getting sun-tanned, learning to swim and fence and generally relaxing before starting work. Leonard Whiting is from North London and is no stranger to acting. He has played the Artful Dodger In the London production of “Oliver!” for 15 months, and a pickpocket in the Walt Disney film “The Legend of Dick Turpin.” He has also appeared in two television plays. In September, 1965, he

joined Sir Laurence Olivier's National Theatre, where he was in the original production of “Love for Love,” playing the singer. He went with the company in “Love for Love" to Berlin and Moscow. He also had a very small part in the company’s production of “Hobson’s Choice.”

His engagement with the National Theatre ended on Friday, May 5, and on Monday, May 8, he learned that he had been cast as Romeo. “I was interviewed five times for the part and eventual!;' given a screen test I had never read or seen the play before, but I think that was an advantage. I mean, when I started to read—it was the balcony scene—l did it with a fixed idea of bow I thought Shakespeare was read. They said ‘Rubbish!’ Then I read it again, this time honestly.” Apart from acting, Leonard has no particular interests or hobbies. He is uncertain about what he will do in the future:

“I would like it to be acting. I am sure I couldn’t work in a bank or anything like that,” he said. His family, although

pleased, is very matter of fact about his success. “The biggest difference it will make to them is having one less person in the house for three months while I make the film in Italy,” he said.

Olivia Hussey was bom In Buenos Aires. Her father, an Argentinian opera singer, died when she was two. She came to England with her English mother and younger. brother Andrew eight years ago. She is a student at the Italia Coati stage school in London and has been there for five years. "Romeo and Juliet” wfii be her third film. The others were "The Battle of the Villa Fiorita,” in which she played Rosanno Brazil’s daughter, the “Cup Fever,”,to which she played a football fan.

For the last year she has been acting to "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” to London’s West End, where she played Jenny, the most beautiful member of Miss Brodie’s class. She has been released from her stage contract to play Juliet “I am terribly thrilled to be Juliet and still cannot believe it. It simply hasn’t sunk

to,” she says. “Zeffirelli is a lovely man. He bullies me and calls me ‘stupid,’ but only in fun. When I went for my first audition I forgot my lines because I was so frightened. He asked me what l did know, so I did a bit from “The Taming of the Shrew.”

“At the next interview I did remember my lines and did a bit from the balcony scene, but I felt foolish. At the Italia Conti I was always east as Romeo because I have such a deep voice. Olivia lives within sight of the Tower of Landon with her mother, who is a secretary, and her brother, who is still at school.

. “My mother is happy because I am happy,” says Olivia. "If I was a road sweeper and liked it, my mother would still be happy. My brother Andrew says he will be proud—but only if it happens. I think he has to see it to the papers to believe it!” “Romeo and Juliet” will be Zeffirelli’s second film. His first, “The Taming of the Shrew,” starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.