Richard Gere reveals the real reason why he left the US for Spain
Richard Gere and his wife, Alejandra Silva, looked so loved up at the ELLE for Future red carpet event on Wednesday night, marking their first public appearance since moving from the US to Spain.
The Pretty Woman actor and his wife made the big move just before Thanksgiving, explaining that the community in Spain is stronger than anything he’s experienced in his home country.
“The place is beautiful,” he told Elle Spain on the red carpet. “We were talking about communities, there’s a very strong sense of community, and people care about each other.”
“You know, in my part of the world, those kinds of bonds, social bonds, and community bonds are breaking down, so I do appreciate them,“ he continued.
Richard, who endorsed Kamala Harris in the recent US presidential election, made sure to add that his wife was also one of his favorite things about the European country.
The couple has been married for five years and work closely together in all things philanthropic; they were honored at the event with an award for their work as environmental advocates.
Richard and Alejandra partnered with the Sierra A Mar project, as well as the Xala With Heart Foundation, winning them the ELLE Eco Award on Wednesday night.
The 75-year-old looked as dapper as ever in a black tuxedo complete with a black bow tie, while his stunning wife donned a black gown with purple floral designs and gold jewelry to match; she wore her blonde hair down to her shoulders in a sleek bob for the event.
The 41-year-old was born and raised in Spain, and moved to the US to be with her husband before marriage.
Richard wanted to return the favour by moving his family to Spain, including his two sons with Alejandra, 5-year-old Alexander and four-year-old James.
He explained their decision on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on November 20, as well as their Thanksgiving plans amidst the big move.
“My wife is Spanish, and she gave me about seven years here, so we’re going to spend some years in Madrid with her family,“ he said on the show. “Our kids are bilingual, so they’re going to flourish there.“
“My wife grew up in a big Spanish family, like a big Italian family, and her grandmother was kind of the glue that held that all together. And the grandmother passed away [about] two years ago, so my wife, I can see her morphing into the new grandmother of this extended family,“ he said. “So she’s already planning for 35 people for Sunday lunches.”
He shared that this chapter of his life was “top of the top“ and that he was looking forward to the international move.
“I love my wife. She’s incredible, a great mother. The kids are healthy, happy,“ he said.
The couple had been family friends for years before reconnecting in 2014; they married in 2018 at his New York estate and have been inseparable ever since.
The actor also shares an older son, Homer, with his second wife, Carey Lowell; the pair were married from 2002 until they split in 2016.