Director Baz Luhrmann’s daughter Lilly has addressed rumours surrounding her father’s sexuality for the first time.
The Elvis director, 60, has been married to wife Catherine Martin, 58, since 1997 and they share Lilly and son William together.
He faced scrutiny over his sexuality after it emerged in 2014 that the couple sleep in separate bedrooms.
In a recent appearance on Phoebe Burgess’s Under The Gloss podcast, Lilly, 19, opened up about how she felt when the rumours that her father was gay first began circulating.
During the episode, titled “Lilly Luhrmann: Confessions of a Nepo Baby”, she recalled: “I did get followed to school, by a truck that was paparazzi… They were bullying my dad there for a little bit.”
Lilly, whose full name is Lillian Amanda Luhrmann, continued: “I specifically remember I was driving in the car, on the radio, this guy was like, ‘Today we’re going to be discussing, is Baz Luhrmann gay? Breaking news, they sleep in two different bedrooms.’
“And I went to school and the kids were like, ‘Is your dad gay?’”
Lilly admitted that it was the “first time I felt embarrassed”, before clarifying: “Not embarrassed, but more like, ‘Why are these people talking about my dad? Why are they making fun?’
I’m like, ‘They just have different sleeping schedules.’”
The rumours made her realise that growing up with a famous father meant her childhood was a bit different from others.
“I mean, I’m not traumatised for life by it. I’ve gotten over it,” she added. “There’s worse things to go through. But it was the first time I was aware something was a bit amiss.”
In 2014, Baz told Daily Mail Australia that he and his wife did not share a bed.
The Australian director said at the time that they “worked out a long time ago that we both need space”.
He added that the couple do regular Saturday night dates, where they “just talk and catch up”.
“It’s very much our escape and keeps us grounded and connected,” he said. “It’s very romantic and keeps us grounded and connected.”
During the podcast, Lilly said that moving the family from Australia to New York was a “really good” decision, as “no one cared” about her parents’ bedroom habits.
Baz’s 2022 biopic Elvis has scored eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Austin Butler, who plays the title role. The award ceremony will take place this Sunday, 12 March.