Businessman Barry Diller addresses decades of public speculation about his sexuality and his marriage to fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg in an excerpt from his upcoming memoir, "Who Knew." Diller wrote that he was attracted to men before meeting von Furstenberg but found that attraction was "not a conflict" with his love for her.
The excerpt, published Tuesday by New York magazine, details his initial encounter with von Furstenberg when he was 33. Diller, now 83, said his interest had exclusively been in men until that time. He described their second meeting as having an immediate, powerful connection.
Their romance began more than 20 years before they married in 2001. When they became a couple in the late 1970s, Diller was chairman of Paramount Pictures and von Furstenberg was a recognized designer. This pairing drew public attention, with some speculating about his sexuality.
"People started saying, āHuh? What is it with this person? We thought he liked only men,āā Diller wrote in the memoir excerpt. However, he added that much of the speculation subsided as it became clear they were deeply involved.
Diller wrote that their relationship was characterized by an "explosion of passion" that lasted for years. He refutes characterizations that they were merely best friends. While the media sometimes speculated he was either gay or bisexual, Diller did not use specific labels in the excerpt, noting his view that sexual identities are more fluid.
The couple dated and lived together for several years before separating in 1981. Von Furstenberg re-entered his life a decade later, and they married in 2001.
Barry Diller is currently the chairman and senior executive of IAC, an international media company, and chairman and senior executive of Expedia Group, an American travel company.
Regarding the speculation about his relationship with von Furstenberg, Diller wrote, "Iāve always thought that you never really know about anyone elseās relationships." He concluded, "But I do know about ours. It is the bedrock of my life."
