In the 1990s, American actor Richard Gere gained not only worldwide fame but also the title of the sexiest man on the planet. His charismatic appearance and talent did not leave the audience indifferent. Every new movie with Richard’s participation was eagerly awaited. Having made a fortune, Gere began to act less and preferred to make his own films. He is also known as an active social activist and a supporter of Buddhism. Read more about his life and creative achievements on philadelphia-trend.
Early years
Richard Gere was born on August 31, 1949, in Philadelphia. His family was of Irish and English descent. Richard was the second child and oldest son. His father, Homer George Gere, was an insurance agent, and his mother, Doris Ann, was a housewife.
Richard grew up with his brother and three sisters in the suburbs of NYC, where the family moved to their own farm. After graduating from the local school, he won an athletic scholarship for gymnastics and became a student at the University of Massachusetts.
He spent two years studying drama and philosophy, but did not graduate from the university. Instead, he decided to become a professional trumpeter and moved to Vermont. This dream quickly disappointed Richard, and he moved to New York with the idea of becoming an actor.
Career in Cinematography
It is worth noting that Richard had a calm and somewhat reserved personality. He was considered inexpressive and gloomy, so it was hard to imagine that this guy would soon become a star of world cinema.
As for Gere, he confidently pursued his goal and began to participate in theater auditions. So he began to play cameo roles in various plays, and in 1975 he played the lead role in the production of Killer’s Head. During this performance, he had to convey his emotions through his tone of voice because he was blindfolded. Richard succeeded and attracted the attention of movie producers.
At that time, the filming of The Lords of Flatbush began, with not only Gere but also Sylvester Stallone playing the role. The young actors often had disputes, and once there was even a fight. Eventually, the director fired Richard, but his career did not stop there.
In 1977, the film Looking for Mr. Goodbar was released, in which Gere’s performance was recognized by both audiences and critics. Later, the young actor began to receive many offers and played in such films as Days of Heaven and American Gigolo. His real breakthrough was his participation in the movie An Officer and a Gentleman in 1982. Richard woke up famous and also popular with women.
A new stage in his professional career began when Richard, 40, starred in the melodrama Pretty Woman. The fairy-tale love story became very popular and brought fame and money to its creators and actors. Interestingly, Gere twice refused to participate in the filming and agreed only because of the promised fee because at that time he was in debt. When he saw his partner Julia Roberts, there was no room for hesitation. The actors managed to create a real chemistry on screen. Pretty Woman became a cult movie.
Since then, R. Gere’s fame as Hollywood’s first handsome man has become undeniable. His next successful film works were:
- The adventure film First Knight (1995)
- The movie Primal Fear, which became one of the leaders at the box office in 1996
- The musical Chicago (2002), in which Richard played the lead role and was awarded a Golden Globe
- The comedy Shall We Dance? (2004), where Gere danced with Jennifer Lopez
- The touching movie Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009).
At that time, the actor’s fees amounted to about $15 million per movie. He earned enough and began to act less, preferring to make his own films.
One of his last works on the big screen was the 2023 comedy Maybe I Do, and in 2024, there were three premieres with his participation.
Public activities
Back in the 1980s, Richard began taking a course in Eastern philosophy and became interested in Buddhism. He then traveled to Tibet on several occasions, where he found teachers and adopted Buddhism as the basis of his life. Since then, Gere has often spoken out in support of the people of Tibet, drawing public attention to their problems.
Gere’s colleagues in the film industry joke that the actor’s real hobbies are meditation and social activities. Indeed, R. Gere is a member of a public organization for the protection of the rights and lands of tribal peoples. He cares about the environment, has created a center in India to combat the spread of AIDS and provides financial support to humanitarian missions.
In addition, Gere actively opposes violence and war. He condemned America’s actions in Iraq. Besides, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he expressed support for Ukraine. The man joined the activities of the charitable organization CARE’s Ukraine Crisis Fund to help Ukrainians affected by Russia’s war.
Personal life
In his personal life, R. Gere was more reserved than the characters in his films. In his younger years, he was quite shy. His first serious relationship began at the age of 22. At the time, the man was dating actress Penelope Milford. The couple lived together for 5 years. The next love of the actor was the Brazilian painter Sylvia Martins, but their love story did not end with marriage.
In the early 1990s, Gere began dating Cindy Crawford. In 1991, the lovers got married, but broke up 4 years later.
The actor’s next wife was Carey Lowell. The couple formalized their relationship in 2002, but they had been dating since 1996. Carey’s daughter from her first marriage lived with them. In addition, the couple had a son together, Homer. The wife devoted herself to the family, and Richard finally found peace in a happy family life.
Unfortunately, this harmony was destroyed by Gere’s affair with a TV presenter from India. When his wife found out about it, they decided to divorce. The process was quite painful for the couple and ended in 2013.
The following year, Richard met Alejandra Silva. The daughter of the former vice president of the Real Madrid football club worked as a journalist and was 34 years younger than the star actor. However, she was not embarrassed by this. A year later, the couple started dating. Three years later, the man proposed to her.
The marriage was registered in 2018 in Spain. The following year, the family welcomed their first child, and a year later, their second son. Richard’s third wife also has a son from a previous marriage.
In early 2023, Gere was hospitalized with pneumonia. The whole family fell ill, and the star actor was in quite a serious condition. This event caused concern among his fans. But doctors provided Richard with all the necessary assistance and he recovered.
The following year, it became known that the actor decided to move to Europe, as his wife prefers to live in her native Spain. Richard sold his estate in Connecticut and bought a house in Madrid instead. Apparently, this is where the couple plans to send their children to school and plan their future.
In 2024, Richard celebrated his 75th birthday. He did not end his career in movies and remains a well-known and popular actor. His life was quite eventful. He managed to succeed in his chosen profession and realize his talent.
