Richard Gere

Richard Gere is an American actor who became one of Hollywood's leading men in the 1980s and 1990s and is also widely known for his humanitarian activism, particularly on behalf of human rights in Tibet. His career encompasses romantic dramas, thrillers, and musicals, and he has remained a recognizable presence in cinema for more than four decades.

Early life

Gere was born on August 31, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Syracuse, New York, the second of five children. He studied philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on a gymnastics scholarship but left before graduating to pursue acting. He was also a gifted musician, playing several instruments. He worked in theater in the early 1970s, including stage productions in the United States and London, and appeared in the London cast of the musical "Grease" before moving into film and television.

Career

Gere's breakthrough came with the lead role in "American Gigolo" (1980), which established him as a star and a sex symbol. He followed it with "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982), a commercial and critical success that cemented his leading-man status. He had earlier appeared in films such as "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and "Days of Heaven." After a period of more mixed results in the mid-1980s, his career was revitalized by "Pretty Woman" (1990), the romantic comedy co-starring Julia Roberts, which became a major box-office hit and one of his defining films. He also drew acclaim for the thriller "Internal Affairs" (1990) and the courtroom drama "Primal Fear" (1996), opposite Edward Norton, and reunited with Roberts for "Runaway Bride" (1999).

Recent work

Gere won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his performance as lawyer Billy Flynn in the film adaptation of the musical "Chicago" (2002), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He continued to take on varied roles in films such as "Unfaithful," "Shall We Dance," "The Hoax," "Arbitrage," "Time Out of Mind," and "Norman." A practicing Buddhist, Gere has long been associated with advocacy for Tibet and the Tibetan people, co-founding organizations supporting human rights and the Tibetan cause and meeting frequently with the Dalai Lama. His outspoken activism has at times affected his standing in certain international markets, including reported difficulties in China. In later years he has continued working in independent film and television, taking a leading role in the series "The Agency," and his public profile remains tied closely to both his screen work and his humanitarian commitments.