Richard Gere's ridiculously privileged life

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It has been more than four decades since an Armani-clad Richard Gere slunk around Los Angeles in Paul Schrader’s “American Gigolo.”

Now Gere, 75, and Schrader have reunited on “Oh, Canada,” an adaptation of Russell Banks’s 2021 novel, “Foregone,” about a dying documentarian who wants to confess, mostly to his wife.

Gere and Schrader were each dealing with end-of-life losses when they jumped into the project: Banks, a close friend of Schrader’s, had died from cancer in 2023. Gere’s father also died that year.

“We were coming from emotional places,” Gere said.

In addition to “Oh, Canada,” Gere made his American TV series debut last month in “The Agency,” an adaptation of the French hit “The Bureau.”

“My wife and I binge-watched the French show and genuinely loved it,” he said. “So when I got a call saying they wanted to do an English-language version, I thought, Hmm, that’s kind of a double-edged sword. One, yeah, that sounds interesting, but two, the French one was so good, would they screw this up?”

Gere was about to travel from Paris to Marrakech to meet his family when he called to talk about his admiration for former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and the chef-humanitarian José Andrés, the Dylan song he can’t imagine not existing and the importance of Tibet. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

The New York Yankees

The Yankees were my team growing up. Mickey Mantle was my guy, and when my first son, Homer, was born, I brought him into the world of baseball. I was a big shot then. I was able to get into the owners’ boxes and meet the players with Homer, who became a wonderful young baseball player himself. It’s just one of those magic things that he and I have had for the last 20 years. (cont)

(cont.) Le Bernardin

Eric Ripert not only is the best chef in the world, he’s the nicest guy in the world. He and I do a lot of Tibetan work together. Le Bernardin is fine dining at the top of the scale, but it’s very relaxed at the same time. It was also an early date with my wife and I, so it’s always a special place in our heart.

Bob Dylan’s ‘Blonde on Blonde’

He’s our Picasso. It’s unthinkable to me to be in the universe without “Visions of Johanna.” There’s two versions that are killers. One is a live acoustic recording at Carnegie Hall, which is very sweet and breaks your heart. Then there’s one on that record that Robbie Robertson plays on. It’s tougher. It’s very challenging. There’s some anger in it. But it’s my all-time favorite record.

Francis Bacon

I just went to a retrospective of his work in London. When I was a young man, it kind of blew my mind where he was coming from. It was a unique vision, but something that really touched me emotionally, spiritually. I was also making movies in London quite a bit. I was living in Chelsea, and I’d be walking out of my house at 5:30 or 6 in the morning to go to a studio. And across the street, Francis Bacon would just be coming home.

Miles Davis

My first instrument was a trumpet, and for whatever reason Al Hirt was more my taste. Then when I discovered Miles Davis, I said, “Well, no, that’s the guy.” He’s the most timeless of all of them.

Nancy Pelosi

I don’t think anyone in my lifetime has done more to uphold what it means to be an American. Her ability to get health care through for tens of millions of people who never had health care before. Her protections of women and children, families. Her genuine interest and advocacy for human rights everywhere.

José Andrés and the World Central Kitchen

There are very few people I admire as much as him. He walks the walk. This is a guy, whenever it’s needed, he really shows up. Kitchens show up, and people show up to man them, and food shows up. He’s singular in our world.

La Colombe d’Or Hotel

It’s a small, very charming boutique place in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, just up in the mountains from Nice. In the heyday of the Impressionists, they spent a lot of time there. So there’s Impressionist paintings all over the walls, hung up like nothing special, but each one of them is genius. It’s where I proposed to my wife.

Sencha on Set

When I make a movie, I say, “What I need is sencha tea all day long. That’s it.” And I’m pretty finicky about it, so it’s got to be a good version. Sencha is more of an infusion — delicate, kind of earthy, slightly sweet. A good sencha to me is just like, that’s mother’s milk.

Tibet

Before the Chinese invasion, it really was a place that took those higher ideals seriously — of impermanence and compassion and kindness and love — and made institutions around them, not around money and objects and power. They made a world around those ideals that everyone ultimately cherishes.

china !

He's been working on stage and film for over 50 years. He's earned whatever he wants.

Picky Dick has his gerbils imported from Kuala Lumpur.

He lives in a rarified world and doesn't seem to realize it. I don't care if he's been acting for 50 years. People have been janitors and digging coal mines for 50 years, too.

He's a terrible actor.

R7 That's telling him! He sounds like a pretentious asshole.

Americab Gigolo, Love him

My wife, my wife, my wife….

Richie Rich

I looked at the menu at Le Bernardin, it is expensive but not outrageously so. There are no prices for the drinks menu and this has to be because the drinks will send the prices through the roof for the customer.

Is he one of those hardcore Capitalist/Buddhists?

From rodents to riches.

His actions at the office of someone very close to me convinced her company to write her a very healthy check.

He worked for his current lifestyle. You can call him anything you want, that's your opinion. However, he earned his current life. He wasn't a nepo baby.

Did Francis Bacon tap that?

Yes, he EARNED his $120 million. Get real.

Whatcdid Homer turn out like?

R19. Jealous much? Isn't your break at Dairy Queen almost over?

Yup. Getting back to WORK, soon.

I'm answering my question. Homer is fine

R17, AND he’s not some piece of shit who is attempting to rule the world, nor is he on a power trip within the rarefied existence he created for himself.

There’s nothing wrong with being privileged nor is there anything wrong with being wealthy, as long you as you mind your own fucking business and appreciate that you’re over the top lucky, and capitalized on that in a way that doesn’t prey upon others.

I’ve never once read about Gere being a predatory narcissist; and neither have you, or any gerbil, for that matter.

R24. Why are you yelling at me? I'm on your side...

I'm not a huge fan but I thought he was fantastic in Chicago. He also looked like he was having a blast.

The gerbil thing is an intelligence test. A low-minded incredibly envious peer of his made something up as outrageous as possible and people who aren't capable of critical thinking repeat low-minded rumors over and over and over again.

R17/R25, I am bolstering your POV.

Apparently it was Sly Stallone - and it's the kind of rumor/gossip Dump spreads and his cultists love.

How long has Richard Gere been living up his own ass?

Didn’t he just announce he’s moving to Spain?

Yes - Playa del Jerbo

This scene from American Gigolo makes me sad the man is 75.

R27 Richard! I love you!

Quietly and without drawing any attention to himself, Richard Gere slid into the seat alongside mine years ago at an indigenous people's rights meeting. Gere is one of the most unassuming, down-to-earth "celebrities" I've encountered. Perhaps we true New Yorkers are a different breed - live and let live - and don't take ourselves so seriously.

American Gerbil

Nancy Pelosi? Lol

[quote] Perhaps we true New Yorkers are a different breed - live and let live - and don't take ourselves so seriously.

Oh, [italic]MARY.[/italic] Your post itself contradicts your claims for the humbleness of New Yorkers, or are you so far gone you can't even see that?

Get over yourself.

I love Richard Gere!

He is fine, I love him.

R33 we all get old, even the beauties.

He's always sounded insufferable.

He has ONE hit movie, the execrable "Pretty Woman", an inane Julia Roberts movie. Big deal.

I could not give two knobs of goat shit what he thinks about politics or culture. He does not pay my bills, help me with my stressful job (that involves celebs and all their crazy BS by the way.) If he disappeared tomorrow I would not even notice. The same goes to all of them. I'm talking to you Sean Penn, Robert DeNiro, Bruce Springsteen and all the rest of the "list". You are not going anywhere, there's way too much money at stake to line your pockets.

When he was filming ‘The Mothman Prophesies’in Pennsylvania he was very sweet to my aunt at a public appearance. He’s a good egg in my book.

I am very grateful to him for showing cock and ass when he was in his glory. My teenage self thanks him.

Take solace in the fact you always were a nobody and will always be a nobody, R43. At least consistency is on your side.

Someone has forgotten their origins.

r42 here, I was wrong, he was in "Chicago" and was pretty good. That was a hit.

His career majorly underachieved after he burst onto the scene in the Broadway play "Bent", but all of his acclaim was for his sexy good looks. He's never been a great actor. We'd know by now.

He's untouchable. I always found him interesting.

Yeah, R45. The man was beautiful, & quite frankly, he doesn’t look bad as an older man, either.

Jealousy Green, though your favorite color, remains a pathetic choice you make, R38.

Decked out in your maryest secondhand potato-sack holiday caftan, you sit wishing for the life your betters enjoy in the big cities. Sadly, little roadkill-eater, you will never, ever escape Dog Patch.

All my love to Mammy and Pappy Yokum and your littermates.

Good in Days of Heaven and American Gigolo.

Gere has been insufferable since he switched from gerbil to sable.

R53. You called?

Wouldn’t it be funny if he’s been a homosexual all this time.

Don't worry about the people with less than 500 million dollars. Focus your ire at the billionaires. They are flying the plane now.

I had him.

He was always at Il Cantinori in the village. I went there about four times and two of those times he was dining there. Il Cantinori is probably the most low-key celebrity restaurant ever. It’s not impossible to get into. You never hear about it (except when they re-run Carrie Bradshaw’s 35th birthday.) Every time I’ve been there, I’ve had at least two or three celebrity sightings in an evening. When I was there and saw Richard, Reese and Ryan were dining the table next to me (that’s how long ago this was). I haven’t been in ten years, but I’m sure it’s still the same.

I always confuse him with Harrison Ford. I find them both insufferable.

R42 What about An Officer and a Gentleman, Days of heaven, Chicago, Hiachi?

I think Richard Gere is one of our finest actors, who can do serious cop and charming dancer, cuckolded husband and desired gigolo, and so much more.

So good for him for his earned lifestyle. Even peon me has stayed in St-Paul-de-Vence and dined at the Chateau Eze.

In addition, Gere is like Bradley Cooper: Philly-area boy made good.

If some want to use him to attack the entire concept of wealth and our system of Capitalism, well, they're just being stupid, at least while Musk is extant.

[quote]"When I make a movie, I say, “What I need is sencha tea all day long. That’s it.” And I’m pretty finicky about it, so it’s got to be a good version

If that's his one demand, it doesn't seem so extravagant or impossible.

He's living in Madrid these days.

A close friend of mine worked at Christie’s auction house for years and said he was a favorite celebrity client. Was flirty with both men and women.

It's just terrible and he is the only one

He sounds like a Tasteful Friend, and I say that as a compliment.

He was right about China

[quote]He was always at Il Cantinori in the village. I went there about four times and two of those times he was dining there.

Wait, you were there four times and he was there twice. It actually seems you were always at Il Cantinori.

I didn't go four times in the course of a week R68. I went maybe four times the entire time I lived in New York, over twenty years. And I heard that Richard Gere would frequent the restaurant even before I went from a friend who was a waiter there. So he must have been correct if out of the four times I went in 20 years, Richard Gere was there two of those times.