On the surface, Richard Gere’s life seems charmed. After all, he’s an A-list actor who has built a sprawling career and was the “it guy” of an era. With acting credits dating back to 1973, his biggest roles include Zack Mayo in “An Officer and a Gentleman,” Julian Kay in “American Gigolo,” and Edward Lewis in “Pretty Woman.” He also notably starred in the 2002 film “Unfaithful” opposite Diane Lane, an actor who has experienced her own tragic life events, including a painful neck injury she suffered while filming that movie. He’s also found success on the small screen, most recently landing a main role on the TV series “The Agency: Central Intelligence.” As of this writing, Gere has won 24 awards throughout his career, including a Golden Globe for his performance in 2002’s “Chicago.”
What’s more, he’s a humanitarian who regularly advocates for causes that are important to him. Gere is the first to recognize his own good fortune, and he’s long made a point of using his platform for good. “I feel grateful, but not guilty,” he said when asked about how he feels about his privilege by El País in 2025. “I’m grateful for not having to worry about paying rent or feeding my children, and for being able to choose the projects I participate in. That sense of gratitude never leaves me, and I do feel responsible for giving back, a responsibility I try to approach with humility.”
Richard Gere couldn’t afford food at the start of his career
For a number of actors, making it big in the entertainment industry requires sacrifice. For Richard Gere, that sacrifice was food. In 2023, the star recalled the struggle to make ends meet in New York City early on, noting that despite landing gigs, he was often hungry. “I was starving during the ’70s as an actor just at the start of my career, just trying to making it,” he told Page Six. “I was lucky enough to work, but there weren’t many actors making any money back then. I was doing Broadway for the first time. I actually did off-Broadway, then off-off-Broadway.”
The Page Six interview took place when Gere was serving as a co-chair for City Harvest’s 40th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street. City Harvest is a food rescue organization focused on getting nourishing food that would likely go to waste to those in need. “In New York, nobody made any money. Unfortunately, hungry was a normalcy. Being hungry was the norm for many people, but especially actors starting their journey in New York. That’s why this organization is so important to me,” he said of food charity City Harvest. “My go-to meal was eggs. Going out to eat at restaurants was not even a real thing for me. Those were some hard, desperate times.” Gere’s first notable check came in 1980 with the breakout film “American Gigolo,” for which he reportedly received a salary of $350,000, plus a share of the project’s future profits.
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