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Veteran actor Richard Gere – best known for his movies American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman, and Pretty Woman – received the International Goya Award at the recently held Goya Awards in Spain, the country’s prestigious celebration of cinematic excellence.
The star-studded ceremony, held on Feb. 9, brought together the biggest names in Spain’s entertainment industry, with Hollywood icon Antonio Banderas presenting the honorary lifetime achievement award to Gere. The 75-year-old received a standing ovation before starting his speech and talking about his love and appreciation for making movies. Gere began acting in the early 1970s and solidified his career in Hollywood in the ‘80s. However, his speech went beyond his experiences in the industry.
The award-winning actor also talked about more serious issues, saying, “I see this very foolish tribalism is starting to take over, where we think we’re all separate from each other.” The actor then continued and cited President Donald Trump as an example, saying, “We are in a very dark place in America where we have a bully and a thug who is the president of the United States”, a sentiment they responded to with applause. However, Gere pointed out that it’s not just happening in the U.S. but everywhere. “Authoritarianism takes us all over. We have to be vigilant,” he added.
His speech wasn’t the first time Gere expressed his disdain for Trump. A day before the Goya Awards, the actor spoke about America’s “dark time” during a press conference, citing how dangerous it is that millionaires are taking control of the country. “The millionaire clowns surrounding Trump are immature and narcissistic, a deadly mix,” Gere said.
Richard Gere has left the U.S.
After the 2024 elections, the actor moved to Spain — his wife Alejandra Silva’s home country. It isn’t known whether Trump’s win swayed the decision, but in a guest appearance on The Tonight Show in Nov. 2024, Gere told host Jimmy Fallon ahead of the move that it was for his wife and children. “My wife is Spanish and she gave me about seven years here and so, we’re going to spend some years in Madrid,” he explained to Fallon.
Gere and Silva started a romantic relationship in 2014 and were married in 2018. They have two children together and one child each from their previous relationships. After years in the U.S., the couple decided to relocate to Spain to be closer to Silva’s large family and give their children a deeper connection to their Spanish roots. The actor added that their kids would do well in the country as they are bilingual.
Silva, an activist, works together with Gere on numerous causes, including the latest venture, Sierra a Mar, an environmental sustainability project. They share a deep bond and refer to each other as soulmates. Silva said their shared “activist heart” was one of the qualities that drew them together. They are also deeply committed to charitable work, particularly an effort to eradicate poverty in Spain. “We want to help this country end homelessness. Our goal is that, within five years, no one sleeps on the street,” Silva told Elle España.