After almost 50 years in the business, Richard Gere has signed on for his first major TV role. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the A-lister will star in the Showtime political thriller The Agency – a fresh take on the French drama, Le Bureau.
Currently in production in London, the series has been executive-produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov through Smokehouse Pictures. As for the impressive ensemble cast, Richard will act alongside Hollywood heavyweights Michael Fassbender and Jeffrey Wright.
"The all-new political thriller follows Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station," explains the description.
"When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage."
As for Richard's role, the 74-year-old will play Bosko, a London Station Chief who previously served as an undercover agent for eight years.
Speaking about Richard's involvement in the series, Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global Co-CEO and President/CEO of Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios issued a statement. "Richard Gere is in a class of his own, adored by generations of fans worldwide for his exceptional ability to infuse depth and authenticity into every role he plays," raved the exec.
"We are delighted to have him join our extraordinary cast which includes Michael Fassbender and Jeffrey Wright in Showtime's latest thriller."
Richard, who began his on-screen career in 1975, has appeared in miniseries in the past, including And the Band Played On (1994) and MotherFatherSon (2019), but The Agency will mark his first major role in a series.
A release date for The Agency is yet to be announced, although it's expected to stream internationally on Paramount+. The first two episodes will be helmed by Joe Wright, famed for directing Pride and Prejudice (2005), Atonement (2007) and Anna Karenina (2012).
Boasting a decade-spanning and prestigious career, Richard is known and loved for appearing in An Officer and a Gentlemen (1982), Pretty Woman (1990), Runaway Bride (1999) and Chicago (2022).
As for his list of TV credits, Richard has made brief appearances in episodes of Kojak (1976), Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014), and Martha Knows Best (2020). He is yet to comment on his latest role in The Agency.
In the meantime, however, the actor has been spending plenty of quality time with his wife, Alejandra Silva, and three sons, with whom he celebrated Father's Day in June.