Richard Gere Biography: Full Name | Age | Education | Stats | Height | Movies | Net Worth | Wife & Children | parents | nationality | siblings | young

Richard Gere Biography: Full Name | Age | Education | Stats | Height | Movies | Net Worth | Wife & Children | parents | nationality | siblings | young

Richard Gere Biography: Full Name | Age | Education | Stats | Height | Movies | Net Worth | Wife & Children | parents | nationality | siblings | young

Richard Tiffany Gere, born on August 31, 1949 & is a renowned American actor celebrated for his extensive film career. Richard Gere began his journey in cinema during the 1970s, with notable early roles including a supporting part in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) and a leading role in Days of Heaven (1978). R. Gere gained widespread recognition with his performance in American Gigolo (1980), a film that solidified his status as a leading man and a cultural icon. Among Richard Gere’s movies, standout titles include An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), The Cotton Club (1984), No Mercy (1986), Pretty Woman (1990), and Unfaithful (2002).

The actor’s versatile filmography also includes hits such as Sommersby (1993), Intersection (1994), First Knight (1995), Primal Fear (1996), Runaway Bride (1999), Dr. T & the Women in 2000 & Shall We Dance? in 2004 & I’m Not There in 2007 & Arbitrage (2012), & Norman in 2016. Richard Gere earned a Golden Globe Award for his exceptional portrayal of Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago in 2002. Richard Gere, Richard Gere Richard Gere—by any name, his impact on cinema remains unforgettable.

Richard Gere Biography

CategoryDetails
Full NameRichard Tiffany Gere
AgeBorn on August 31, 1949, Richard Gere is currently 75 years old.
EducationAttended North Syracuse Central High School; enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst but left to pursue acting.
Height5 feet 10 inches (178 cm)
NationalityAmerican
ParentsHomer George Gere and Doris Ann Tiffany
Early CareerBreakthrough role in “American Gigolo” (1980), establishing himself as a leading Hollywood actor.
Iconic Movies“Pretty Woman” (1990), “Unfaithful” (2002), “Arbitrage” (2012), “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” (2009), “Primal Fear” (1996).
CollaborationsJulia Roberts (“Pretty Woman,” “Runaway Bride”), Diane Lane (“Unfaithful,” “Nights in Rodanthe”).
Additional Roles“The Cotton Club” (1984), “Breathless” (1983), “Internal Affairs” (1990), “King David” (1985).
Recent Projects“MotherFatherSon” (2019), a television series.
AwardsGolden Globe Award for “Chicago” (2002), CineMerit Award at Munich Film Festival.
PhilanthropyFounder of the Gere Foundation; advocate for Tibetan independence, human rights, and HIV/AIDS awareness.
Net WorthEstimated at $120 million.
MarriagesCindy Crawford (1991-1995), Carey Lowell (2002-2016), Alejandra Silva (2018-Present).
ChildrenThree, including Homer James Jigme Gere.
HobbiesPlaying piano, composing music, practicing Buddhism, advocating for animal rights.
LegacyRenowned actor and humanitarian committed to global causes and iconic performances in cinema.

Richard Gere Early life & education

Richard Tiffany Gere was born in Philadelphia on August 31, 1949, as the eldest son and second child of Doris Ann (née Tiffany; 1924–2016), a homemaker, and Homer George Gere (1922–2023), an NMIC insurance agent who originally intended to become a minister. Raised in Syracuse, New York, Gere grew up in a Methodist household. His paternal great-grandfather, George Lane Gere (1848–1932), changed the family surname from “Geer.” One of his ancestors, also named George, was an Englishman from Heavitree, England, who settled in the Connecticut Colony in 1638.

Both of Richard Gere’s parents were descendants of those who came over on the Mayflower, with notable Pilgrim ancestors including John Billington, William Brewster, Francis Eaton, Francis Cooke, Degory Priest, George Soule, and Richard Warren.

In 1967, Richard Gere graduated from North Syracuse Central High School, where he excelled in gymnastics and music and played the trumpet. R. Gere went on to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst on a gymnastics scholarship, where he studied philosophy. However, after two years, he left college and did not graduate, setting the stage for his career in acting.

As a young man, Richard Gere began his rise to fame with notable roles in American Gigolo Gere (1980), a film that established him as a leading man. Later, in Pretty Woman, he starred alongside Julia Roberts, further solidifying his status as a Hollywood heartthrob. His films, such as Unfaithful (2002) and Hachi Richard Gere (2009), showcase his versatility as an actor. His impressive Richard Gere movies list includes both romantic and dramatic performances that have captivated audiences for decades.


The Career of Richard Gere: A Journey Through Theatre and Film

Richard Tiffany Gere’s professional acting career began in 1969 at the Seattle Repertory Theatre and the Provincetown Playhouse in Cape Cod, where he starred in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. In 1971, R. Gere landed his first major role in the Broadway rock opera Soon, though the production closed after just three performances. In 1973, he appeared in the original London stage version of Grease, and in 1979, Gere earned critical acclaim for his performance as a gay Holocaust victim in the Broadway play Bent, winning a Theatre World Award.

Gere transitioned to Hollywood films in the mid-1970s. Originally cast in The Lords of Flatbush (1974), he was replaced following a conflict with co-star Sylvester Stallone. However, he gained attention for his roles in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) and Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven (1978). R. Gere’s breakthrough came with American Gigolo (1980), a crime drama that established him as a leading man and sex symbol. His stardom soared further with An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), which grossed nearly $130 million and earned him his first Golden Globe nomination.

During the 1980s, Richard Gere movies received mixed critical and commercial success, but his career rebounded with Internal Affairs (1990) and Pretty Woman (1990), the latter earning him a second Golden Globe nomination. The 1990s were prolific for Gere, featuring roles in Sommersby (1993), Primal Fear (1996), The Jackal (1997), and Runaway Bride (1999), reuniting him with Julia Roberts.

In 1999, People magazine named Richard Gere the “Sexiest Man Alive.” The early 2000s saw him in critically acclaimed films like The Mothman Prophecies (2002), Unfaithful (2002), and the Academy Award-winning musical Chicago (2002), for which he won a Golden Globe. His success continued with Shall We Dance? (2004), a global hit grossing $170 million. Despite the commercial failure of Bee Season (2005), Gere remained a respected figure, earning praise for roles in The Hunting Party (2007), I’m Not There (2007), and Nights in Rodanthe (2008).

In the 2010s, Gere turned to independent films, citing his political stance on China as a factor in his reduced presence in mainstream Hollywood. His portrayal of Robert Miller in Arbitrage (2012) earned him a fourth Golden Globe nomination and critical acclaim, with Peter Travers of Rolling Stone calling it a “tour de force.” Notably & Gere obtained lifetime achievement honors & including the Golden Starfish Award & the Career Achievement Award.

Gere’s portrayal of Norman Oppenheimer in Norman (2016) marked a departure from his usual screen persona. He described the character as embodying “annoying and needy” traits, earning accolades for his nuanced performance.

Beyond acting, Gere is a skilled musician who composed and performed the Pretty Woman piano theme and a guitar solo in Runaway Bride. He even trained in tap dancing and karate for roles in Chicago and An Officer and a Gentleman, respectively.

Despite his celebrated career, multiple critics and outlets have cited Gere as one of the finest actors never to receive an Academy Award nomination—a testament to his enduring legacy in the world of cinema.


life

Richard Tiffany Gere’s romantic life has attracted much attention over the years. He had an on-again, off-again relationship with actress Penelope Milford from 1971 to 1978 and a long relationship with painter Sylvia Martins from 1978 to 1986. During this period, American Gigolo Gere was rising to stardom, and Gere was linked to several other women, including Tuesday Weld, Carole Mallory, Dawn Steel, Loree Rodkin, Barbara Carrera, and even Barbra Streisand. It was rumored that Gere had affairs with Priscilla Presley and Kim Basinger, as suggested in tell-all books written by Presley’s ex-boyfriend Michael Edwards and Basinger’s ex-husband Ron Snyder. Gere also reportedly dated models such as Laura Baile & Tina Chow & Dalila Di Lazzaro & Padma Lakshmi.

Richard Gere’s most publicized relationship was with supermodel Cindy Crawford. Cindy Crawford & Richard Gere were married from 1991 to 1995. Later, in November 2002, Richard Gere’s wife became model and actress Carey Lowell. Together, they had a son, Homer James Jigme Gere, born in February 2000. The name was chosen to honor his grandfathers and include the Tibetan name “Jigme.” In 2013, after 11 years of marriage, they separated, and three years of highly contested divorce proceedings followed, finally settled in October 2016. In April 2018, Gere married Spanish activist Alejandra Silva. The couple announced they were expecting their first child in August 2018, and their son, Alexander, was born in February 2019. They welcomed their 2nd son in April 2020.

Gere’s spiritual journey has been as significant as his acting career. In his 20s, R Gere began studying Zen Buddhism under Kyozan Joshu Sasaki. After some years of Zen practice, he traveled to Nepal with Sylvia Martins in 1978, where he met Tibetan monks and lamas. It was then that he met the 14th Dalai Lama in India, embraced Tibetan Buddhism, and became a dedicated supporter of the Dalai Lama.

Throughout his life, Gere has remained a fixture in Richard Gere movies, with memorable roles such as in Unfaithful (2002) and Hachi Richard Gere (2009). His role in Pretty Woman opposite Julia Roberts and Richard Gere movies created lasting chemistry on screen. The success of Richard Gere movie list includes Breathless Richard Gere, Richard Gere Pretty Woman, and his collaborations with Diane Lane and Richard Gere in films like Nights in Rodanthe (2008). In February 2023, while on vacation in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, Gere was hospitalized for pneumonia. However, Richard Gere’s wife confirmed that he fully recovered.

Additionally, Gere has been recognized for his lifestyle choices, often cited as a famous vegetarian, though there is no clear confirmation of his diet. His legacy in Richard Gere movies continues to be celebrated, with roles that span genres and generations.