Richard Gere Biography

Fast Facts

• Attended college on a gymnastics scholarship
• Studied philosophy and drama in college before dropping out to pursue acting
• Three of his early star-making roles, in Days of Heaven (1978), American Gigolo (1980) and An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), were all roles originally turned down by John Travolta
• Was the first man to appear on the cover of Vogue, in 1992 with then-wife Cindy Crawford
• Named by People Magazine as Sexiest Man Alive in 1999
• A devout Buddhist, he co-founded the Tibet House, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture
• Awarded Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year in 2006
• The title is given to performers who have made lasting contributions in the entertainment field
• Opened the Bedford Post Inn in Bedford, NY, with wife Carey Lowell and Russell Hernandez in 2007
• Contributed writings to the 2009 book We Are One: A Celebration of Tribal Peoples
• Is an active philanthropist and social activist who supports multiple HIV/AIDS charities and humanitarian organizations