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Richard Gere

ACTOR · BORN 1949

Richard Gere

Born
31 August 1949, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Known for
Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009), Runaway Bride (1999), Days of Heaven (1978), Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

81 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026

Richard Gere (born 31 August 1949) is an actor best known for Hachi: A Dog's Tale, Runaway Bride and Days of Heaven.

Richard Gere over the years

Richard Gere in 2007 (age 58)
2007 · age 58spaceodissey from Parma, Italy, CC BY 2.0
Richard Gere in 2015 (age 66)
2015 · age 66Elviraurbano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Richard Gere in 2024 (age 75)
2024 · age 75Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0

81 Interesting Facts About Richard Gere

Interesting Facts (30)

  1. #001

    Susan Sarandon said of him, "Richard has been in a lot of good films, but he's never been in a great one".

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  2. #002

    On an episode of The Graham Norton Show (2007), he recounted a trip he made to Borneo to visit the Dayak tribe. It was in the desolate part of the jungle with a treacherous drop-off from the plane. When he arrived, they excitedly greeted him by exclaiming "Officer, gentleman!" repeatedly.

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  3. #003

    Became a father for the first time at age 50 when his girlfriend [later wife] Carey Lowell gave birth to their son Homer James Jigme Gere on February 6, 2000.

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  4. #004

    Counts Julie Christie as the cinematic crush of his youth.

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  5. #005

    His first break came in 1973 as "Danny Zuko" in the British stage version of "Grease".

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  6. #006

    Frequently works opposite Diane Lane. They have starred in three films to date: The Cotton Club (1982), Unfaithful (2002), and Nights in Rodanthe (2008).

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  7. #007

    On the November 16, 2007, episode of Live with Kelly and Mark (1988) (aka "Live with Regis & Kelly"), he cleared up the fact he is not vegetarian but has not eaten red meat for 30 years.

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  8. #008

    Has twice played a fame-hungry lawyer based in Chicago, first in Primal Fear (1996) as Marty Vail, then again in Chicago (2002) as Billy Flynn.

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  9. #009

    In 1993 "People" Magazine didn't name a "Sexiest Man Alive", but named he and his then-wife Cindy Crawford as "Sexiest Couple'.

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  10. #010

    Was accused of having affairs with Priscilla Presley and Kim Basinger in tell-all books penned by Presley's ex-boyfriend Michael Edwards and Basinger's ex-husband Ron Snyder.

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  11. #011

    In 1999 was named "People" Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.

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  12. #012

    He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care."

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  13. #013

    He and ex-wife Cindy Crawford had a mansion in Malibu, an apartment in Manhattan and a ranch in Connecticut.

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  14. #014

    Was listed as one of 12 "Promising New Actors of 1977" in "John Willis' Screen World", Vol. 29.

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  15. #015

    Is referenced in the 2001 hit song "Crying at the Discothéque" by Swedish dance group Alcazar.

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  16. #016

    Visited Kosovo's fugitives in F.Y.R.O.M., during the Kosovo crisis in 1999.

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  17. #017

    In 1991 was chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world.

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  18. #018

    Shared five known conquests with Ryan O'Neal, four with Warren Beatty and two with Elvis Presley.

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  19. #019

    Richard Gere is an accomplished pianist and music writer; he actually composed and performed the piano solo featured in Pretty Woman (1990).

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  20. #020

    Some of Richard Gere's first photographs, known as "head shots," were taken by his childhood friend, the struggling photographer Herb Ritts. People interested in Gere were so impressed by the photos that they began hiring Ritts for other assignments, and he went on to become one of the best photographers.

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  21. #021

    Richard Gere turned down the role of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987). He has said it is the role he regrets most.

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  22. #022

    Richard Gere considers Julie Christie his cinematic love of his youth.

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  23. #023

    On an episode of The Graham Norton Show (2007), Richard Gere recounted his trip to Borneo to visit the Dayak tribe. He was in a remote part of the jungle and had a treacherous fall from a plane. When he arrived, they greeted him excitedly, repeatedly shouting "Officer, gentleman!"

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  24. #024

    On the November 16, 2007 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark (1988) (aka "Live with Regis & Kelly"), Richard Gere stated that he is not a vegetarian but has not eaten red meat for 30 years.

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  25. #025

    Richard Gere has twice played a fame-hungry lawyer living in Chicago: first as Marty Vail in Primal Fear (1996), then as Billy Flynn in Chicago (2002).

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  26. #026

    In 1993, People magazine did not name a "Sexiest Man Alive" but instead named Richard Gere and his then-wife Cindy Crawford the "Sexiest Couple."

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  27. #027

    In 1999, Richard Gere was named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.

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  28. #028

    Richard Gere is mentioned in the Manic Street Preachers song "Freedom of Speech Won't Feed My Children," apparently because of his pro-Tibet, anti-China activism.

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  29. #029

    During the 1999 Kosovo crisis, he visited Kosovar refugees in F.Y.R.O.M.

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  30. #030

    He is the second of five children of Doris Anna (Tiffany) and Homer George Gere.

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Production Story (4)

  1. #031

    In the three films that made him a star--Days of Heaven (1978), American Gigolo (1980) and An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)--his role had been turned down by John Travolta.

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  2. #032

    His film Mr. Jones (1993) was on the shelf for two years while the distributors decided what to do with it.

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  3. #033

    Agreed to a small role in the HBO film And the Band Played On (1993) despite the prevalent belief in the film industry it would be detrimental to his career. Subsequently, stars like Steve Martin, Alan Alda, Phil Collins and Anjelica Huston were willing to appear.

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  4. #034

    Turned down the role of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987). Has since said that is the role he regrets passing on the most.

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Behind the Scenes (12)

  1. #035

    For his role as Clifford Irving in The Hoax (2006), he shaved back his hairline, got a perm and even altered the appearance of his nose to fit the part.

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  2. #036

    Trained for five months for the tap-dance scene in Chicago (2002).

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  3. #037

    In a "London Evening Standard" interview to promote Chicago (2002), he claimed to have brought a 750cc Triumph T140V Bonneville from Triumph's Meriden factory with his first paycheck while touring with the stage production of "Grease". He also rode the same updated model, a 1978 T140E, in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and an even earlier model, a 1960s 650cc T120R Bonneville. in Mr. Jones (1993).

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  4. #038

    He didn't get along with his leading lady Debra Winger during the making of the hit film An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). She publicly called him a "brickwall", while he said there was "tension" between them. He played the title role, had top billing, had more screen time and earned a larger salary than her, while hers was just a love interest role. Still, he reacted badly when he realized that she was stealing every scene; she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar while he wasn't nominated at all. Thirty years later they patched things up when she presented him with an award at the Rome Film Festival.

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  5. #039

    He turned down the role of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987). He has said it is the role he regrets most since then.

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  6. #040

    In the three films that made him a star - Days of Heaven (1978), American Gigolo (1980) and An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) - the role had been turned down by John Travolta.

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  7. #041

    A Buddhist for more than a decade, he was once banned from the Oscars after making anti-China remarks on air during the 1993 ceremony.

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  8. #042

    Despite being nominated for the Golden Globe many times and once for the Screen Actors Guild Award (two common indicators of an Oscar nomination), he has never been nominated for an Oscar.

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  9. #043

    He turned down the lead role given to Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988).

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  10. #044

    For the role of Clifford Irving in The Hoax (2006), he shaved his hairline, got a perm and even changed the appearance of his nose to suit the role.

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  11. #045

    He and his ex-wife Cindy Crawford had a mansion in Malibu, an apartment in Manhattan and a farm in Connecticut.

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  12. #046

    He worked with Nina van Pallandt in American Gigolo (1980) and then played her lover Clifford Irving in The Hoax (2006), in which she was played by Julie Delpy.

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Characters & Cast (4)

  1. #047

    Worked with Nina van Pallandt in American Gigolo (1980), and then played her lover Clifford Irving in The Hoax (2006), in which she was played by Julie Delpy.

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  2. #048

    Jodie Foster said of him, "A lot of actors think acting is a girl's job, but Richard finds something sensuous in acting".

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  3. #049

    Turned down the lead role in Die Hard (1988) which went to Bruce Willis.

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  4. #050

    Richard Gere turned down the lead role in Die Hard (1988) that went to Bruce Willis.

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Easter Eggs & References (1)

  1. #051

    Mentioned (apparently because of his pro-Tibetan, anti-Chinese activism) in the song "Freedom of Speech Won't Feed My Children" by Manic Street Preachers.

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Career & Awards (5)

  1. #052

    Some of his earliest photos, known as "head shots" were taken by boyhood friend and struggling photographer Herb Ritts. The people handling Gere were so impressed with the photos that they began hiring Ritts for other assignments, and he is now a top photographer.

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  2. #053

    An accomplished pianist and music writer; in fact, he composed and performed the piano solo featured in Pretty Woman (1990).

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  3. #054

    Though he's been nominated multiple times for a Golden Globe and once for a Screen Actors Guild Award (two common indicators for an Academy Award nomination), he has never been nominated for an Oscar.

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  4. #055

    He has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Days of Heaven (1978).

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  5. #056

    Despite the widespread belief in the film industry that it would harm his career, Richard Gere agreed to take a small role in the HBO film And the Band Played On (1993). Stars such as Steve Martin, Alan Alda, Phil Collins and Anjelica Huston were subsequently willing to appear.

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Life & Family (25)

  1. #057

    Older brother of UCLA professor David Gere.

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  2. #058

    Was among the guests at Tom Cruise's and Katie Holmes's wedding.

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  3. #059

    President of The Gere Foundation, founded in 1991. The non-profit organization focusing on international humanitarian issues, with emphasis on Tibet.

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  4. #060

    Stepfather of Hannah Dunne.

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  5. #061

    Became a father for the second time at age 69 when his third wife Alejandra Silva gave birth to their son Alexander Gere in early February 2019.

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  6. #062

    A guitar aficionado since his youth, he is an avid collector of electric and acoustic guitars. Some of the ones he has are a 1958 Gibson Flying V Prototype (formerly owned by Albert King), 1935 John D'Angelico Exel (formerly owned by James D'Aquisto), 1931 Martin D-28, 1953 Fender Telecaster, 1960 Gibson ES-335 TD, 1954 Fender Stratocaster.

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  7. #063

    Family friend of the Thurmans, i.e.: Robert Thurman, with whom he founded New York City's Tibet House (a nonprofit institution devoted to preserving the living culture of Tibet) in 1987, Uma Thurman, etc.

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  8. #064

    Named his son: Homer James Jigme. "Jigme" means "fearless" in Tibetan.

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  9. #065

    Co-owner, with wife Carey Lowell, of the "Bedford Post Inn" in Bedford, NY. The Inn has eight rooms, two restaurants, a yoga studio a meditation center.

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  10. #066

    When the Chinese government invited him to one of its film festivals, he agreed to go with two conditions: that he was allowed to bring his own interpreter and that he would stay in Taipei, Taiwan, during his visit. The government agreed and Gere went to the festival.

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  11. #067

    By the age of 14 he was a great trumpet player and gymnast.

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  12. #068

    Is the second of five children born to Doris Anna (Tiffany) and Homer George Gere.

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  13. #069

    As of December 2009 was living in Westchester, NY.

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  14. #070

    A Buddhist for over a decade, he was banned from the Oscars once after making anti-China comments on the air at the 1993 ceremony.

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  15. #071

    Ex-wife Cindy Crawford used to collect the clothes he wore in his early films and bought the white naval uniform he wore in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) at a celebrity auction.

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  16. #072

    Was a member of his high school's student council, gymnastics team, lacrosse team and ski team.

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  17. #073

    Cindy Crawford and he were married by Rev. Wes McPherson at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas.

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  18. #074

    Gere's middle name, Tiffany, is from his mother's maiden name.

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  19. #075

    Received a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he majored in philosophy; he dropped out in 1969 to pursue acting.

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  20. #076

    He has English and small/distant amounts of Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, Dutch, Scottish, German, and French ancestry. He has deep roots in the state of Pennsylvania, and is also a Mayflower descendant, with American roots going back to Massachusetts of the 1600s.

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  21. #077

    Is very active in AIDS fundraising.

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  22. #078

    Attended the University of Massachusetts. Dropped out to pursue acting.

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  23. #079

    Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 2006 Man of the Year

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  24. #080

    Graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967.

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  25. #081

    Richard Gere is highly active in fundraising for AIDS.

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Sources & editorial notes

Reference databases

  • Wikipedia English Wikipedia article
  • IMDb IMDb name page (biography and trivia)

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