There is a side of Richard Gere that goes far beyond Hollywood, the red carpets and the unforgettable characters he has brought to life on screen. It is the side of a man who found in Buddhism a spiritual path, in the Dalai Lama a precious teacher, and in the Tibetan people a cause to which he has devoted decades of his life.
At the end of October 2026, Richard is once again in India, in the Himalayan region of Dharamshala, where his spiritual journey and his commitment to Tibet have always brought him back. According to the recent social media updates you have been following, he met His Holiness the Dalai Lama on October 31. For those who know the depth of their relationship, this meeting represents much more than a famous actor visiting a spiritual leader. It is another chapter in a bond built over more than four decades, rooted in respect, gratitude and a shared belief in the power of compassion.
Richard’s connection with Tibet has never been a passing celebrity interest. It has become one of the defining elements of his life, influencing his personal choices, his humanitarian work and even the way he understands his responsibilities as a public figure.
A spiritual journey that began long before Hollywood fame
Richard Gere’s interest in Buddhism began when he was a young man. While building his acting career, he started exploring Eastern philosophy and meditation, searching for answers to questions about human suffering, happiness and the meaning of life.
His spiritual journey initially led him towards Zen Buddhism before introducing him to Tibetan Buddhism. In the early 1980s, he met the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, in Dharamshala. That encounter would become one of the most important relationships of his life.
Over the years, Gere has spoken about the profound influence of His Holiness on his understanding of the world. He sees him not simply as a religious leader, but as a teacher whose example demonstrates that compassion, patience and kindness are strengths that can transform the way we relate to other people.
Richard has practised Buddhism for decades, but what I find particularly meaningful is that he has tried to translate its principles into action. For him, meditation and spiritual reflection are not separate from the suffering of the world. They are reasons to respond to it with greater awareness and humanity.
In interviews, he has described how Buddhist practice has helped him understand his own emotions and become less attached to the superficial distinctions that separate people. Fame, wealth and success may change our circumstances, but they do not make one human life more valuable than another. That is a lesson he has continued to carry with him throughout his career.
Dharamshala: returning to the place that changed his life
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is home to the Dalai Lama in exile and a spiritual and cultural centre for Tibetans who have fled their homeland. For Richard Gere, this place has a deeply personal significance. He has returned to it many times, attending religious ceremonies, meeting members of the Tibetan community and supporting efforts to preserve Tibetan culture and identity.
His latest visit, at the end of October 2026, comes at a time when his work for Tibet is particularly visible. Recent posts from Tibet-related channels have drawn attention to his presence in India and to his meeting with the Dalai Lama on October 31. This renewed visit also coincides with a new initiative launched by the International Campaign for Tibet, the organisation Gere chairs. In October, the organisation introduced Richard Gere In Conversation: Tibet and the Heart of Compassion, a series of intimate conversations with people who have known, served and worked alongside the Dalai Lama.
The project brings together personal memories, historical experiences and reflections on the preservation of Tibetan religion, language, culture and identity. It offers a different way of understanding the spiritual leader: not simply through public speeches, but through the stories of those who have shared his journey.
For me, this is an especially meaningful development. Richard is helping to preserve a human legacy, ensuring that the Dalai Lama’s teachings and the experiences of the Tibetan people remain accessible to future generations. His commitment is not limited to looking back at the past. It is also about preparing others to carry this work forward.
The night Richard Gere challenged China at the Oscars
One of the most memorable moments in Richard Gere’s public life occurred at the 1993 Academy Awards. While presenting an award, he departed from the expected script and used the enormous international audience to speak about Tibet. He appealed directly to Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping to withdraw Chinese troops from Tibet and allow the Tibetan people to live freely.
It was an extraordinary moment. The Oscars are usually associated with cinema, glamour and carefully prepared speeches, but Richard chose to use his time on stage to address a political and humanitarian issue that mattered deeply to him. His words caused controversy. Some people admired his courage; others believed that the ceremony was not the appropriate place for political statements. His outspoken position on Tibet subsequently became part of the discussion surrounding his relationship with Hollywood.
Gere was not invited to present at the Oscars again until 2013, a long absence that fuelled speculation about whether his activism had affected his standing within the industry. However, it would be too simplistic to attribute his entire professional trajectory to that one speech.
What remains undeniable is the choice he made that night. He could have delivered his lines, smiled for the cameras and avoided controversy. Instead, he decided that the visibility offered by the ceremony could serve a purpose beyond his own career.
I find that decision revealing. Richard Gere has enjoyed enormous fame, but he has also shown a willingness to speak about issues that cannot be resolved by charm, money or celebrity. For me, that is a different kind of courage: the willingness to use your voice even when silence would be easier.
From words to action: a lifetime of humanitarian commitment
Richard Gere’s support for Tibet extends far beyond public speeches.
In 1987, he co-founded Tibet House US, an organisation dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture, art and spiritual traditions. He later became a leading figure in the International Campaign for Tibet, serving as its chairman since 1995. Through these organisations, he has helped bring international attention to Tibetan human rights, religious freedom and cultural preservation. He has also spoken before political institutions, encouraging governments to take the situation of the Tibetan people seriously.
In 1991, he established the Gere Foundation, which supports humanitarian initiatives involving human rights, education, cultural preservation and public health. His interests extend beyond Tibet. Over the years, he has supported initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS, homelessness and the plight of refugees. His involvement with humanitarian organisations, including Open Arms, reflects his concern for people forced to flee their homes and seek safety elsewhere.
Another important expression of his spiritual commitment is Wisdom of Happiness, the documentary featuring the Dalai Lama reflecting on compassion, peace, happiness and the responsibilities human beings share. Gere was among the film’s producers, helping bring these teachings to a wider international audience.
His latest project, Richard Gere In Conversation: Tibet and the Heart of Compassion, continues in the same direction. Rather than simply repeating familiar messages, it creates space for people close to the Dalai Lama to share their experiences and preserve his legacy. Richard is also scheduled to participate in a special conversation with Tibetan Buddhist scholar Geshe Lhakdor at the Dharamshala International Film Festival on November 1, 2026. The discussion is expected to explore the Dalai Lama’s vision of compassion, nonviolence and universal responsibility.
For Richard, cinema may have given him a platform, but humanitarian work has given that platform a purpose.
A family influenced by his spiritual path
Richard’s relationship with Buddhism is also part of his private life. His eldest son, Homer James Jigme Gere, whom he shares with Carey Lowell, has accompanied his father on visits connected with the Tibetan community. Homer was with him in Dharamshala during the Dalai Lama’s ninetieth birthday celebrations in July 2025.
Richard has spoken about his son’s independent interest in meditation and the importance of allowing his children to discover their own spiritual paths. He does not believe that Buddhism should be imposed upon them. Instead, he tries to lead by example and teach them the value he considers most fundamental: kindness.
His wife, Alejandra Silva, has also developed an interest in Buddhism and meditation through their relationship. Their shared concern for humanitarian causes and their desire to help others form an important part of the life they have built together. Richard and Alejandra are raising their two younger sons, Alexander and James, in a family where compassion, reflection and respect for others are meaningful values.
As the boys grow, they will have the opportunity to discover these traditions in their own way. Richard’s approach is not about demanding that his children follow a particular belief. It is about showing them that how we treat others matters far more than the labels we give ourselves.
I find this aspect of his life especially touching. The man whose face has appeared on cinema screens around the world seems to place great importance on teaching his children something very simple: kindness is not an abstract ideal. It begins with the way we behave every day, even towards the smallest and most vulnerable living beings.
My view
My admiration for Richard Gere goes far beyond his talent as an actor or the extraordinary charm that has made him one of cinema’s most enduring stars. What I admire most is his tireless commitment to the causes he believes in. For decades, he has continued to speak for Tibet, defend human rights and support humanitarian initiatives. His involvement has not disappeared with changing fashions, new roles or the passing of time.
I find something deeply moving in his relationship with the Dalai Lama. It is a friendship that has helped shape his understanding of life and has given a spiritual dimension to many of his choices.
The images and reports surrounding his latest visit to India remind me that this connection is still very much alive. Richard continues to return to Dharamshala, to meet people who share his commitment and to find new ways to make the Dalai Lama’s message accessible to the world. I cannot know everything that this spiritual relationship means to him personally, but I can appreciate the consistency between the values he speaks about and the work he continues to support.
In a world where fame can so easily become an end in itself, Richard has repeatedly tried to make his visibility serve a greater purpose.
That is what makes him special to me. Not simply the actor I have admired for years, but the man who continues to remind us that compassion is not weakness, that silence is not always neutrality, and that success becomes far more meaningful when it is used to help others.
