Editing Franco Zeffirelli (section)

==Personal life==
[[File:Zeffirelli.jpg|thumb|right|Zeffirelli in 2008]]
In 1996, Zeffirelli [[came out]] as gay, but thereafter preferred to be discreet about his personal life.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/nov/21/books.film|title=Zeffirelli tells all about priest's sexual assault|author=Barbara McMahon|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=21 November 2006|access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> Zeffirelli said that he considered himself "homosexual" rather than gay, as he felt the term "gay" was less elegant.<ref name='NYTProfile'>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/arts/music/19zeffirelli.html|title=Maestro Still Runs the Show, Grandly|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Rachel Donadio|date=18 August 2009|access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> Zeffirelli adopted two adult sons, men with whom he had lived and who worked for him for years, managing his affairs.<ref name='NYTProfile'/>

===Allegations of sexual assault===
Writer and film director [[Bruce Robinson]] claimed to have been the target of unwanted amorous attention from Zeffirelli during the filming of ''Romeo and Juliet'', in which Robinson played [[Benvolio]]. Robinson says that he based the lecherous character of Uncle Monty in the film ''[[Withnail and I]]'' on Zeffirelli.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with Bruce Robinson|url=http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/brucerobinson.html|access-date=7 August 2007|last=Murphy|first=Peter|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707184620/http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/brucerobinson.html|archive-date=7 July 2007}}</ref>

In 2018, the American actor [[Johnathon Schaech]] alleged that Zeffirelli sexually assaulted him during the filming of ''[[Sparrow (1993 film)|Sparrow]]'' (''Storia di una capinera'', 1993).<ref>{{cite news|title=Actor Johnathon Schaech: I Was Molested by Director Franco Zeffirelli|url=http://people.com/movies/johnathon-schaech-molested-franco-zeffirelli/|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=11 January 2018|access-date=18 June 2019|last=Schaech|first=Johnathon}}</ref> Zeffirelli's son Giuseppe "Pippo", adopted by the filmmaker as an adult, issued a statement at the time denying the allegation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/2018/01/11/director-franco-zeffirelli-94-accused-molesting-actor-1992-son-denies/1025870001/|title=Director Franco Zeffirelli, 94, accused of molesting actor in 1992; son denies it|work=[[USA Today]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=11 January 2018|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/franco-zeffirelli-abuse-accusers-speak-1219298|title=The Dark Side of Franco Zeffirelli: Abuse Accusers Speak Out Upon the Famed Director's Death|work=[[Hollywood Reporter]]|first=Rebecca|last=Keegan|date=18 June 2019|access-date=1 December 2019}}]</ref>

===Death===
Zeffirelli died at his home in Rome on 15 June 2019, aged 96.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lanazione.it/firenze/cronaca/morto-franco-zeffirelli-1.4647533|title=È morto Franco Zeffirelli, addio al Maestro|publisher=[[La Nazione]]|date=15 June 2019|access-date=15 June 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/franco-zeffirelli-dead-romeo-juliet-920639 Franco Zeffirelli, Oscar-Nominated Director for 'Romeo and Juliet,' Dies at 96], Duane Byrge, The Hollywood REPORTER, 15 June 2019</ref>