Scouting Hollywood - Jan. 12-18, 2023

A roundup of news, gossip and history of the entertainment business brought to you from Hollywood, California.

Brian Ellis

Do you remember what you were doing in 1968? Apparently Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting do. The pair has sued Paramount Pictures for a reported $500 million for sexual exploitation during the filming of Franco Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The suit claims the pair (who share the same business manager as well as attorney in the case) were misled by Zeffirelli and coerced into performing partially nude. Hussey, who was 15 at the time of shooting, brushed off the issue in a 2018 interview at the film’s 50th anniversary. California’s statute of limitations on childhood sexual assaults was suspended for three years, the last chance to file a suit, regardless of the victim’s age, was the end of December 2022. Stay tuned.

Prince Harry has appeared on CBS’ “60 Minutes” to continue his complaints about mis-treatment by the Royal Family. In an episode that aired Jan. 7 (just in time to promote his book coming out on Jan. 10), the former prince says the royal family’s motto “never complain, never explain” apparently doesn’t apply to he or his wife and that palace leaks to British tabloids bad-mouthing the pair have continued relentlessly. 

THE LOUNGE: Scouting Hollywood - Jan. 5-11, 2023