31 Facts About Olivia Hussey

Olivia Hussey's awards included a Golden Globe Award and a David di Donatello Award.

The daughter of Argentine tango singer Osvaldo Ribo, Hussey was born in Buenos Aires but spent most of her early life in her mother's native England.

Olivia Hussey aspired to become an actress at a young age and studied drama for five years at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London.

Olivia Hussey appeared in a 1966 London production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, opposite Vanessa Redgrave; this led to her being scouted for the role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

Olivia Hussey received widespread acclaim and international recognition for her performance.

Olivia Hussey reunited with Zeffirelli in the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth as Mary and appeared as Rosalie Otterbourne in John Guillermin's Agatha Christie adaptation Death on the Nile.

Olivia Hussey appeared in several international productions throughout the 1980s, including the Japanese production Virus and the Australian dystopian action film Turkey Shoot.

Olivia Hussey worked as a voice actress, providing voice roles in Star Wars video games including Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Star Wars: Force Commander, and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Olivia Hussey's mother was from England, of Scottish and English descent.

Olivia Hussey's parents were Roman Catholics, and she was raised in that denomination.

Olivia Hussey always had a great love for God, and she instilled that in me.

Olivia Hussey appeared in a West End production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, playing Jenny opposite Vanessa Redgrave.

Derek Smith of Slant said Olivia Hussey's performance "captures the passion and yearning of love-struck teens in a very contemporary manner".

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian agreed, and said Olivia Hussey "has an otherworldly purity".

In 1971, Olivia Hussey appeared in the British drama All the Right Noises, followed by The Summertime Killer, and the musical Lost Horizon.

In 1974, Olivia Hussey played the lead role of Jess Bradford in the Canadian horror film Black Christmas, which became influential as a forerunner of the slasher film genre of horror films.

Olivia Hussey played Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the 1977 television production of Jesus of Nazareth.

Olivia Hussey starred as Marit in the Japanese film Virus, and played Rebecca of York in the 1982 remake of Ivanhoe ; the same year, she had a lead role in the Australian horror film Turkey Shoot.

In 1990, Olivia Hussey played Norma Bates, the mother of Norman Bates, in Psycho IV: The Beginning, a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and appeared in the miniseries It, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel.

Olivia Hussey stated in an interview that it had been her dream to portray the role of Mother Teresa of Calcutta ever since she finished her role as the Virgin Mary in Jesus of Nazareth.

Olivia Hussey later reunited with Whiting as on-screen partners in the film Social Suicide, the only film that they both appeared in since Romeo and Juliet.

Olivia Hussey worked as a voice actress, and was nominated for "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Television Production" at the Annie Awards for her work in the DC Animated Universe as Talia al Ghul.

Olivia Hussey lent her voice to Star Wars: Force Commander in 2000.

Olivia Hussey was slated to reprise her role as Jess Bradford in the Black Christmas fan film It's Me, Billy: Chapter 2, but withdrew from the project in November 2023 for health reasons.

Olivia Hussey had agoraphobia, which was aggravated by the fame she achieved after Romeo and Juliet.

Olivia Hussey dated actor Christopher Jones in 1968 but ended the relationship due to him being abusive towards her.

Olivia Hussey began dating Terry Melcher at some point in 1969, and she lived with Melcher at 10050 Cielo Dr in Los Angeles after the Manson Murders.

In 1971, Olivia Hussey married Dean Paul Martin, the son of Dean Martin.

From 1980 to 1989, Olivia Hussey was married to Japanese singer Akira Fuse.

Olivia Hussey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, and underwent a double mastectomy.

Olivia Hussey died at her home in Los Angeles on 27 December 2024, at the age of 73, following a recurrence of breast cancer.