Richard Gere Featured

Biography

Richard Gere is an American actor and humanitarian best known for his charm, intelligence, and magnetic screen presence. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has become one of Hollywood’s most respected and enduring leading men.

Raised in Syracuse, New York, Gere attended the University of Massachusetts on a gymnastics scholarship before leaving to pursue acting. He began his career on stage in the early 1970s, earning recognition in the Broadway production of Grease. His film breakthrough came with Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) and Days of Heaven (1978), but true stardom arrived with American Gigolo (1980), which established him as a sex symbol and one of the defining actors of his era.

He continued his success with An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Pretty Woman (1990), Primal Fear (1996), and Chicago (2002), showing his range from romantic charm to intense drama. His performance in Chicago earned him a Golden Globe Award and reintroduced him to a new generation of audiences.

Off-screen, Gere is deeply involved in humanitarian and spiritual work. A devoted Buddhist, he has been an outspoken advocate for human rights in Tibet and is the founder of the Gere Foundation, which supports humanitarian causes worldwide.

Gere’s legacy lies not only in his iconic roles but also in his compassion, activism, and the quiet dignity he brings to everything he does.