Richard Gere: From Heartthrob to Hollywood Outsider
Richard Gere rose to global fame with Pretty Woman, becoming a beloved heartthrob. But his career has been anything but ordinary—at one point, he was nearly blacklisted from major films and turned to independent cinema instead.
Born in 1949 in Philadelphia and raised near Syracuse, NY, Gere had a typical American upbringing. A talented gymnast and musician, he discovered acting later in life. After dropping out of college, he pursued acting full-time, landing early stage roles in Grease and eventually moving to Broadway.
His film breakthrough came in the late ‘70s with Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Days of Heaven, and American Gigolo. But it was Pretty Woman in 1990 that catapulted him to stardom—thanks in part to Julia Roberts, who convinced him to take the role.
Ironically, Gere nearly turned it down. In a 1993 interview, he admitted he had lost interest in big studio films and felt he had already “screwed up” his career. He took Pretty Woman as a business decision, not a passion project—yet it helped him find a freer acting style.
Despite its success, Gere later dismissed Pretty Woman as a “silly romantic comedy,” even blaming it for glamorizing Wall Street culture.
Gere has never chased blockbusters or awards—he’s avoided franchises and superhero roles. “My career has never been thought out,” he said. “I just do what I want.”
His refusal to stay silent on human rights also cost him. A longtime Buddhist and friend of the Dalai Lama, Gere used the 1993 Oscars to protest China’s occupation of Tibet. As a result, he was banned from future broadcasts—and from China altogether. Studios later dropped him from projects to avoid offending the Chinese market.
In Red Corner (1997), where he played an American wrongly accused in China, MGM caved to Chinese pressure and shelved the film’s promotion.
Now in his 70s, Gere is focused on indie films, which he prefers. Despite being sidelined by Hollywood, he says it hasn’t affected him. “I’m still making the same kinds of character-driven stories I always loved.”
Married to Alejandra Silva, 33 years his junior, Gere continues to live life on his terms—both on screen and off.