The Girl on the Balcony

By: Olivia Hussey, Alexander Martin, Franco Zeffirelli - foreword

Narrated by: Carol Monda

In 1968, Olivia Hussey became one of the most famous faces in the world, immortalized as the definitive Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet. Now the iconic girl on the balcony shares the ups and downs of her truly remarkable life and career....

At only 16 years old, she was an internationally celebrated overnight discovery. The part was an opportunity of a lifetime for a simple girl from Buenos Aires, Argentina. But for Olivia, admired for her beauty and innocence and praised as a fresh and burgeoning young talent, the role of movie star was hard to play and, harder still, to live up to.

In this candid memoir, Olivia Hussey tells her story - from being an "It Girl" in swinging '60s London and her enduring friendship with Romeo & Juliet costar Leonard Whiting, through three tumultuous marriages - including one with Dean Martin's son, Dino - motherhood, stage-four breast cancer, debilitating agoraphobia, bankruptcy, and ultimately, a journey of self-discovery in India that led her on a path to fulfillment.

She brings listeners intimately close to the legendary performers she knew, loved, worked with, and battled, including The Beatles, Vanessa Redgrave, Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Anthony Perkins, Christopher Reeve, Lawrence Olivier, Ingrid Bergman, and more. Olivia also finally reveals for the first time, the identity of the actor - a fellow young newcomer - who raped her, but who would not break her.

Featuring a foreword by her star-making director Franco Zeffirelli, Olivia Hussey's memoir shines with her luminous spirit and perseverance as she reflects on her unique life and experiences - inspiring, surprising, and fascinating to hear.

©2018 Olivia Hussey and Alexander Martin (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

fascinating!

I was a kid when I accompanied my parents to see the film Romeo & Juliet. My mother covered my eyes during the love scene. I've always wondered what became of Olivia Hussey. She has lived an extraordinary life.

The girl on the balcony

How beautiful. I listened to it twice. The movie is still my favorite of all time. Thank you Olivia for sharing your life’s journey with us. You will always be the girl on the balcony just one with more experience now😀

Thank you Ms Hussey!

What an amazing woman and career. I appreciate and admire your strength and honesty. May you have much happiness.

This book is a work of art. My heartstrings were touched. I was moved by the straightforward candor of Olivia Hussey.

This book is a work of art. My heartstrings were touched. I was moved by the straightforward candor of Olivia Hussey. Sometimes I smiled broadly, and sometimes tears fell. What an incredible, brave and brilliant person. I saw the movie at age 18, the play itself at various ages, and I just happened to be in Verona at the age of 23. So yes, the heartstrings. This is a well written, revealing book. Enjoyable, meaningful, and sublime. Olivia Hussey is, for me, the only girl on the balcony.

The Juliet I Grew Up With

This is the third time I have read this book. I was introduced to Shakespeare via Olivia Hussey as Juliet. I loved watching her in "Ivanhoe" and an episode of "Murder, She Wrote" and always wondered what happened to her when she was not on camera. This book answers that question. Her resilience is awe inspiring. Olivia Hussey is a marvel and Carol Monda does her perfect justice!