Actor Richard Gere has had a long-running career in film, but he wasn't so lucky in love. After two divorces, he eventually found love with a woman 33 years younger and became a father later in life.
Richard Gere was the '80s and '90s Hollywood heartthrob, while Cindy Crawford was an acclaimed supermodel. When they met back in 1988 at a star-studded barbecue, Crawford was inevitably taken with the actor's charming ways.
They married four years later in Las Vegas, where they surprisingly exchanged aluminum foil rings. Unfortunately, only four years into the revered union, the two separated. People began speculating that they got divorced because they were both gay.
Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford | Source: Getty Images
The rumors claimed that the two married as a publicity stunt to hide their sexuality. However, they both vehemently denied the claims. Crawford thought the stories were "amusing," and said:
"Considering the number of women he's [been] associated with, when does he have time to be gay?"
She would admit that they did not spend enough time together throughout their marriage, driving a wedge between them. There was also the question of their 17-years age gap, which was reportedly one of the reasons the marriage failed.
Actor Richard Gere and model Cindy Crawford on February 22, 1990 | Source: Getty Images
Asked whether he planned on starting a family with Crawford, the "Pretty Woman" actor said he would "rather be able to think of all creatures as my children."
BECOMING A FATHER
Crawford would later blame their split on Gere's reluctance to have kids, and even though the actor had previously said he was not very keen on becoming a dad as he was himself still only a "big kid" at the time, he would later change his mind when he married his second wife.
Richard Gere and Carey Lowell during "Primal Fear" Los Angeles Premiere at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, United States. | Source: Getty Images
He wed actress Carey Lowell in 2002, but the two had already welcomed their first child together, son Homer James Jigme Gere, two years earlier. For someone shy about becoming a dad only years earlier, Gere did not think twice about having a child with his second wife.
"It was actually quite simple. I never had an issue about children one way or the other." He said. "With Carey, she had a child from a previous marriage, and it was just a natural thing, caring for this child, having our own child. It was totally spontaneous and right."
Richard Gere, Cary Lowell and son Homer Gere at The Al Hirshfeld Theater on March 14, 2010 in New York City | Source: Getty Images
The duo was now the parents of two — Lowell's daughter Hannah and Homer, named after his paternal grandfather. Gere could not be prouder to be a dad and would describe his son as "the joy of my life," adding that he:
"Loves music, very fast runner, very smart. Very funny. Pretty quick, he learned irony, which is a wonderful quality for any human being."
Richard Gere and Carey Lowell at the Hammerstein Ballroom on March 12, 2012 in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Becoming a father at 50 was, however, not all bliss. Gere admitted that he was aware his body was breaking down, and his eyesight, hearing, and physical energy had gotten much worse. He confessed:
"The marginal stuff just doesn't affect you anymore when you weigh it against the real things in your life. All the cliches [about parenthood] are true."
Nevertheless, despite admitting how happy he was in his marriage and fatherhood, his marriage came crumbling in 2013, after 11 years of being together. Unlike many celebrity couples, they settled their custody issues quickly but fought for several years over Gere's substantial nest egg, which was worth approximately $250 million.
THE THIRD TIME IS A CHARM
Alejandra Silva and Richard Gere at the Callao City Lights Cinema on November 23, 2015 in Madrid, Spain | Source: Getty Images
Gere had more luck than many do in their lifetimes. Despite his two failed marriages, he would find love again with Spanish publicist and political activist Alejandra Silva. The two had been family friends and had known each other for over a decade, but sparks flew when they reconnected in 2014.
However, the two, who are 33 years apart, chose to keep their relationship a secret and only came out in 2015 during a vacation in Taormina, Sicily, where the actor appeared all-too-eager to show off his bikini-clad girlfriend. A source would tell Closer Weekly:
"They were holding hands the whole time, kissing and caressing each other. They really seemed to be in love! They decided it's time to stop hiding their relationship and show the world they are a couple."
Alejandra Silva and actor Richard Gere on June 8, 2016 in Rome, Italy | Source: Getty Images
The "Runaway Bride" and his girlfriend, who also has a child from a previous marriage, tied the knot secretly in 2018 on Cinco de Mayo at Gere's estate in Pound Ridge, New York. Being Buddhists, they invited several Tibetan monks to the ceremony.
The couple gushed over each other, declaring how each loved the other. Gere shared that he loved his wife for her many qualities, including her ability to make great meals, forgiving nature, patience, and beauty. He confessed to Hello Magazine:
"I'm the happiest man in the universe."
WHERE DO THEY CALL HOME?
Today, the couple lives in a $10m estate in North Salem, New York. The "Sommersby" actor purchased the home in 2021 for $9.8 million and quietly moved in with his family.
The red brick manor includes 9,000 square feet of living space. However, the actor spent an extra $700,000 on a vacant neighboring parcel to expand his home into the 35 acres it is today.
Initially built in 1934, the home has been renovated with elegant upgrades and features and has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. The living room is an all-white affair with touches of brown on picture frames, smaller furniture units, and a fireplace.
The spacious chef's kitchen features a massive square island with a bench-style sitting area near the window. Next to the kitchen, the dining area features white dining furniture and a smaller fireplace to the side.
The dining room walls are covered in grey-ish patterned wallpaper giving it a laid-back yet sophisticated look. The dining room also features long vintage candlesticks and a white cabinet filled with souvenirs.
The Georgian mansion also features loft-like guest suites and a media room that acts as a gym for those who wish to keep fit during their visit.
The bedrooms feature comfy four-poster beds with large windows overlooking the rest of the property. It also includes a wine cellar, a large outdoor pool, and an indoor lap pool.
A FATHER AT 69
With Silva, parenting is a no-brainer. The two welcomed their first child together in 2019 when Gere was 69 years old. When they announced their pregnancy, they shared a photo of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan highest spiritual leader, putting his hand on her baby bump, a gesture of blessing the unborn baby.
Richard Gere visits the oncology area for children at Nino Jesus Hospital on May 30, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. | Source: Getty Images
They welcomed their son, Alexander, in February 2019, followed by a second one in April 2020. However, the name of their second child remains unknown as the parents chose to keep the details of their child private.
The two new babies join Gere's older son Homer from his marriage to Lowell and Silva's son Albert from her previous marriage to Govind Friedland, a mining executive.
THEIR LIVES TODAY
Alejandra Silva and Richard Gere on photo call at the 64th International Film Festival of San Sebastian on October 6, 2016 in San Sebastian, Spain. | Source: Getty Images
Today, Gere, his wife, and their two boys enjoy a quiet life at their North Salem, New York home, and as a source would disclose to People:
"They're so comfortable with each other, have fun together, and are looking forward to their future together."
Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva are seen in Midtown on April 26, 2022 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
For most, parenthood comes with mixed feelings. Joy and fear are some of the most common ones. Gere, who had his youngest children at 69 and 70, fears that he will not be around to see his children growing up.
According to Women Working, a source told Radar Online: "He knows he's extremely old to be a father. He can do the math — and it has made him very aware his time is limited."
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