New Biography Claims Mike Nichols Almost Left Diane Sawyer to Elope With a Man

A new biography of fashion photographer Richard Avedon hits shelves later this week, and it fans the flame of a rumor connecting Avedon to director Mike Nichols.

The book’s co-author, Norma Stevens, worked as the head of Avedon’s studio for years, and is now sharing everything in Avedon: Something Personal, along with collaborator Steven M. L. Aronson. Stevens says that Avedon confided in her about his secret relationship with Nichols, and even asked that his true sexuality be made public after his death.

“We had so much going for us… We were made for each other… At one point, we even thought about running away together. Eloping, we called it — leaving our wives and our lives and moving to Gay Paree,” Avedon told Stevens, according to the book.

The book doesn’t specify any particular years, however, it summarizes Avedon and Nichols’ fifty-year long friendship. Stevens relays Avedon’s story about meeting Nichols in Paris during a shoot for Harper’s Bazaar. Later, when the two became romantic, that same city would be the one they dreamed about eloping to. But, ultimately, it didn’t come to pass.

“We chickened out but we were together for years, till Mike met someone else,” Avedon told his friend.

Both Avedon and Nichols were in long-term marriages, which presumably overlapped with their alleged decade-long affair. They also both had children with their wives.

Avedon passed away in 2004, and Nichols in 2014. Rumors have always surrounded the two famous friends — some linked the two as a couple, while others simply said that they were bisexual individuals. If Stevens’ stories are true, we have some new perspective on old Hollywood royalty.

Avedon: Something Personal will be available on Tuesday, November 21st.