The former A-list celebrity can boast an amazing decades-long career, followed by a decline due to his outspoken political and social viewpoints. However, Richard Gere isn’t hurting for finances. The Pretty Woman star is still starring in successful Indie films, speaking out against causes close to his heart and raising a family in upstate New York, despite being out of the spotlight in recent years.
Check out the many ways in which Gere reached the $100 Million Club and how he spends his celebrity net worth of $120 million.
The Early Years
A post shared by Richard Tiffany Gere (@richardtiffanygereoffical)
Richard Tiffany Gere was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, graduated from North Syracuse High School in 1967 and had a love for music and gymnastics even as a teen. He completed two years at the University of Massachusetts Amherst but never graduated because he found his calling as an actor displaying some unique talents and a drive to push boundaries.
Gere began on the theater stage and early-on took a role as a homosexual character in “Bent” in a 1979 Broadway production, earning his first Theater World Award for the performance. From there, the world took notice as he appeared in classics like “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982), “Pretty Woman” (1990) and “Runaway Bride” (1999) cementing his role as the romantic lead in many Hollywood hits. In 1999 he was also named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. He won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for 2002’s “Chicago”, a perfect fit for a man so connected to dance and music.
RELATED: 10 Most Expensive Broadway Musicals Ever Produced
His last major Hollywood film was opposite Diane Lane in 2008’s “Nights in Rodanthe”.
A Move to Indie Films
A post shared by Richard Tiffany Gere (@richardtiffanygereoffical)
Due to his vocal disagreement with China’s role in Hollywood’s agenda, Gere was in some ways, banned from future Hollywood hits; not because his A-list status and talent was unknown, but because his face in a successful film would simply cause financial repercussions as China would refuse to back it.
In fact, at the 1993 Academy Awards, Gere went off script when presenting, by protesting China’s occupation of Tibet and the horrible human rights situation. He called for a boycott of the 2018 Beijing Olympics and according to The Netline, his efforts resulted in a lifetime ban from China.
That didn’t slow Gere down though, he earned his fourth Golden Globe nomination in 2012 for indie film “Arbitrage” and began taking roles that truly established his talent as an actor. “Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer” caught the eye of critics across the globe and despite the backlash of his political and social views, he continues to appear on film with new versions of talent and accomplishments.
Most recently, Gere was seen in 2019’s “MotherFatherSon”, his first major television role.
How He Spends His Fortune
A post shared by Richard Tiffany Gere (@richardtiffanygereoffical)
The 72-year-old actor is married with three children; two with current wife Alejandra Silva and one with ex-wife Cary Lowell. He lives in a 50-acre compound in Pound Ridge, NY and owns another apartment in New York City.
Gere co-owns the Bedford Post Inn, an eight-room luxury hotel that includes a yoga studio, meditation center, and three restaurants featuring farm-to-table meals, one of which, is located in a 1700’s farmhouse.
His love of real estate has continued to grow. Gere reportedly paid $9.8 million for an estate in North Salem, NY earlier this year alongside neighbors like David Letterman and Disney composer Alan Menken. The historic 26-acre property was designed by architect Mott Schmidt and built for a Woolworth heir in 1934. The property has a gym, wine cellar, outdoor pool and indoor lap pool.
Activism
A post shared by Richard Tiffany Gere (@richard.gere.fanpage)
The “American Gigolo” star is Buddhist and co-founded the Tibet House in 1987, serving as chairman of the board for the International Campaign for Tibet since 1995 and according to Biography, Gere sponsors programs supporting human rights in Tibet as well as programs aiding those suffering from AIDS in India. He helped establish the AIDS Care Home, a residential facility for women and children with AIDS.
In 1991, he founded “The Gere Foundation”, providing support to a variety of humanitarian causes across the world. He currently serves on the board of directors for Healing the Divide, an organization that supports peace, justice and understanding across the globe.
In 2021, Gere criticized Israel for military action against Palestine and his protest was published by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, who work with refugees.
Despite Gere not appearing in the large blockbusters anymore, he says his early success has enabled him to live the life he wants. Able to speak out against inhumane treatment, social, economic and other injustices is his new calling, with acting and celebrity status taking a back seat and that’s okay, according to Gere. Living a life of meaning, is what truly matters.
READ NEXT: China Crypto Ban: Who Among The Crypto Billionaires Could Lose The Most?
Sources: Celebrity Net Worth, The Netline, Biography
Source: Read Full Article
