Richard Gere has long captivated audiences on screen, but his most cherished role is that of a devoted father to his three sons, whom he never fails to gush about.
The 75-year-old welcomed Homer, born in 2000, with ex-wife Carey Lowell; Richard and the former Bond girl were together for 18 years and married for 11 before going their separate ways in 2012.
With his third wife, activist Alejandra Silva, the Pretty Woman actor welcomed Alexander in February 2019, and his third son, whose name is yet to be revealed to the public, was born in April 2020.
Alejandra posted a sweet Instagram message to commemorate Father's Day this year, calling Richard "the most wonderful dad four boys could ever wish for" and praising him for his "endless patience, love and dedication" to his children. "Happy Father's Day to the man who is always there for us, making every moment special," she finished.
It's safe to say Richard is as wonderful a father as he is an actor; join HELLO! as we explore everything he has said about parenting his three sons.
On preparing for fatherhood
© Getty ImagesRichard tried his hand at being a dad before Homer came along in 2000, which allowed him to prepare for his journey to fatherhood. He told The Independent in 2007 that he loved being a stepdad to his second wife Carey's child, Hannah, from a previous relationship. "Being a stepfather was an easy ride," he said at the time. "I got past any fears I had about having children."
Becoming a dad was a natural progression for the icon, as he felt ready to welcome Homer after parenting Hannah. "It was actually quite simple. I never had an issue about children one way or the other," he revealed to The Guardian, "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."
He became a stepfather again after marrying Alejandra in 2018; she welcomed her son, Albert, with her ex-husband, Govind Friedland, in 2012. As for whether he had any concerns about being a father to young children as a man in his seventies, he simply told the Sunday Times Magazine, "Not at all, no".
Richard learnt the most important parenting lesson of all after welcoming his sons, telling The Guardian, "The marginal stuff just doesn't affect you anymore when you weigh it against the real things in your life. All the clichés [about parenthood] are true."
On his eldest son, Homer
© Getty ImagesWhen Richard and Carey welcomed Homer in February 2000, he was instantly smitten with him, and since then, he has always shared how proud he is of his eldest child at any opportunity. "[Homer is] the joy of my life," he told The Guardian. "Loves music, very fast runner, very smart. Very funny. Pretty quick he learned irony, which is a wonderful quality for any human being."
Despite having a famous father, Homer is nonplussed about his dad's films but plans to follow in his acting footsteps one day. "He doesn't understand it," Richard told Vanity Fair Spain on Homer grappling with his dad's fame. "And it is also very difficult for him to see me on the screen because even if I play an extreme character, I am still his father, and it is difficult for him to get into the story."
He continued: "As it happens, he just started acting too. He has suddenly become interested and seems to enjoy it. He's been writing and directing little movies, so we have this new thing in common."
On spending quality time with his kids
© InstagramFor Richard, nothing is more important than his children; he will even pass up film roles if it means being closer to them, as he told the Hindustan Times in 2015. "My film decisions are mostly mine, but I'm very careful about not being away from my son, Homer James Jigme Gere, for very long," he said.
"So, if I have to be away for long, I talk to him about it, and if there is a problem, I don't take up the project. And I have done that. Your family is more important than anything."
As for his two youngest sons, the actor, who recently moved to Alejandra's home country of Spain to raise his young family, prefers to stay in with them. "The truth is we don't go out much," he told Vanity Fair Spain. "We have three small children. An 11-year-old, a five-year-old, and a four-year-old. So, around 9:30 at night, we are all asleep. If we watch something, it will be on the big television we have at home."
Richard and his wife decided to move to Spain after living in the US together for six years, in a move that he admitted would be "interesting" for his children as they learn more about their mother's culture.
