By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-07 16:01:44 | Updated at 2024-12-23 14:48:21
2 weeks ago
This high school senior would go on to become one of Hollywood's most successful stars after captivating audiences with his charming good looks and inimitable acting ability.
The Golden Globe–nominated actor's career on the silver screen kicked off in the late 1970s, after he emerged as a hunky heartthrob with his first roles: a supporting part in the Diane Keaton–starring Looking For Mr. Goodbar and a starring role in the classic Days Of Heaven.
By 1980 he had risen to prominence at the age of 29 thanks to his breakout performance as high-end male escort Julian Kay in Paul Schrader's crime thriller American Gigolo, which solidified his status as a leading man as well and a sex symbol throughout Hollywood.
The actor was also known for being briefly married to supermodel Cindy Crawford for four years in the '90s.
Later in his career, the star was paired with Julia Roberts, one of the most popular actresses in the world at the time, and he played her leading man in multiple romance films, demonstrating the success of their on-screen chemistry.
So can you guess whose yearbook photo this is?
This high school senior, pictured in 1967, would go on to become one of Hollywood's most successful stars after captivating audiences with his charming good looks and inimitable acting ability. Can you guess who he is?
It's Richard Gere! The actor, now 75, has an estimated net worth of $120 million and worked alongside Gen Z's hunky heartthrob Jacob Elordi in his upcoming movie.
The star-studded drama Oh, Canada — which reunites Gere with his American Gigolo director Paul Schrader — is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, December 6.
Even though Gere recently left Hollywood behind and moved to Spain with his wife and their sons, he remains booked and busy.
He most recently starred in the Apple TV+ dramedy Longing, which was released over the summer.
The silver screen star was married to supermodel Cindy Crawford from 1991 to 1995, before going on to tie the knot with Carey Lowell.
In the past, he was also rumored to be dating or romantically linked to Priscilla Presley, Barbra Streisand, Kim Basinger and Diane von Furstenberg.
He married his now-wife Alejandra Silva — who is 33 years his junior — in 2018.
The couple share sons Alexander, five, and James, four, while Richard also shares his son Homer, 24, with his ex-wife Carey Lowell. He also has a stepson, 11-year-old Albert, from Alejandra’s earlier marriage to Govind Friedland.
That's right, it's Richard Gere, 75. The Golden Globe–nominated actor's career on the silver screen kicked off in the late 1970s; pictured November 21 in New York City
In 1980 he rose to prominence at the age of 29 with his breakout performance in American Gigolo; pictured in 1980 movie still
The silver screen star was a charming teenager in his 7th grade yearbook portrait in 1962
The star was part of his school's gymnastics team when he was a sophomore at his high school in New York; pictured second from the left in 1965
Gere had the same genteel charm as the characters he would go on to play in Hollywood later on. Even in high school, he was accomplished and was Vice President of his school's Student Council in 1966
Acting was always his passion. He's pictured here as The King in his school's 1967 performance of The King And I during his senior year
Gere is seen in the middle of the back row during his school's performance of The King and I
In his career, some of Gere's most memorable roles came about when he was paired with Julia Roberts.
The two first starred together in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman.
The iconic movie grossed $450 million worldwide and remains one of the most beloved romance films of all time.
Their on-screen chemistry was a smash hit, and the actor was also paired with her again in 1999 for their rom-com Runaway Bride.
Gere earned a Golden Globe nomination after starring in the 1982 movie An Officer and a Gentleman, one of the most popular romantic dramas of the early '80s.
Although he's best known for his work on screen, Gere is also a noted talent on stage.
He has preivously worked on Broadway, and he won a Golden Globe Award for portraying the slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the film adaptation of the musical Chicago in 2002.
He also received a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the Oscar-winning film alongside Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Gere is seen on the very left in the back row alongside his fellow classmates in a yearbook portrait in 7th grade of junior high school
Gere was seen on the top row, on the far right, in a yearbook group photo for their gymnastics team
In a homeroom photo, Gere posed alongside his peers in the middle row and on the far right
Gere is seen in the middle of the back row in a Ski Club yearbook photo for his junior year in high school circa 1966
In addition to his on-screen achievements and acclaimed career in entertainment, Gere is also known for his activism and being a longtime advocate of human rights, environmental causes and animal welfare.
Gere is also known for being an outspoken and, at times, controversial advocate for Tibet since the 1980s ever since the devout Buddhist met the Dalai Lama.
He has been a strong supporter of Tibetan culture and human rights and even served as a founding member of Tibet House US.
In 1993, Gere ad-libbed part of an Oscar presentation speech to include criticism of China. The short digression from his teleprompter speech led to him being banned from the Academy Awards for two decades, and he has had difficulty finding work in big-budget films ever since due to fears that his presence will lead the films to be banned in China.
