Actor Richard Gere recently revealed he was barred from attending the Oscars for two decades. Though he’s been in many popular films like American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman, and Runaway Bride, he did receive a Golden Globe award for his performance in Chicago back in 2003.
I remember when Richard Gere really took a stand at the Oscars about ten years ago, speaking out against China’s policies in Tibet. It caused a lot of controversy, and the Academy actually banned him from attending for twenty years! But he was brave enough to show up in 2003 because the movie Chicago was up for so many awards. It was great to finally see him back on stage as a presenter in 2013 when they lifted the ban.
After many years, Richard Gere is finally discussing his Oscars ban and whether it still bothers him. In a recent interview with Variety, he shared that he wasn’t personally offended by the decision and doesn’t believe the Academy members are malicious people.
Gere never intended to hurt anyone. He wasn’t trying to cause anger or upset people. His remarks in 1993 were actually meant to criticize discrimination and the violation of human rights.
I wasn’t really offended by it. I don’t see anyone as the villain here. I just do what I believe is right, and I never intend to hurt anyone. My goal is to challenge things like anger, unfair exclusion, and violations of human rights. But I always try to remember the Dalai Lama’s belief that everyone is capable of change and ultimately deserves redemption – that either everyone can be saved, or none of us can. So, I don’t take things personally.
Richard Gere and the Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, are friends. The Dalai Lama occasionally sends Gere notes to celebrate his awards, but Gere hasn’t discussed the recent Oscars controversy with him.
Gere approaches life believing, like the Dalai Lama, that everyone is capable of change and forgiveness. This belief helped him to easily dismiss the controversy surrounding the Oscars ban and the criticism he received.
We just never discuss movies. Occasionally, someone will tell him if I receive an award, and he’ll send a congratulatory note saying he’s happy for me, but that’s the extent of it.
Richard Gere helped create a new documentary called Wisdom of Happiness which features the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama himself has watched the film, and Gere says he didn’t enjoy seeing himself on screen, but he did appreciate the scenes showing his family and friends from earlier in his life.
He wasn’t interested in watching himself on screen. She fast-forwarded through those parts, but he became genuinely happy when they showed old footage of his friends and family. It brought back childhood memories, which was something everyone can relate to.
As a movie fan, I’ve been following the Richard Gere situation, and it’s interesting to remember he’s not the first person to be blacklisted by the Academy. A lot of other well-known faces – like Carmine Caridi, Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski, Harvey Weinstein, and Adam Kimmel – have all been kicked out over the years. The reasons range from different kinds of wrongdoing, and sadly, in some cases, it involved serious accusations like sexual assault. It just shows the Oscars aren’t immune to controversy, even behind the scenes.
| People Banned From Oscars | Year |
| Richard Gere | 1993 |
| Carmine Caridi | 2004 |
| Bill Cosby | 2018 |
| Roman Polanski | 2018 |
| Harvey Weinstein | 2017 |
| Adam Kimmel | 2021 |
| Will Smith | 2022 |
As a huge movie fan, I was honestly shocked by what happened at the 2022 Oscars. Will Smith actually walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock after a joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith during the awards show. It was a crazy moment, and the Academy responded with a 10-year ban for Smith. I still can’t quite believe it happened!
The incident was a truly shocking moment in Oscars history, and it ended up drawing more attention than Will Smith’s eventual win for Best Actor.
Though Richard Gere’s ban ended more than ten years ago, he says it’s no longer relevant because he’s free to express himself and continues to work on films and TV shows. He’s now releasing a documentary about the Dalai Lama, a project he hopes audiences will find meaningful.
Read More
- Zerowake GATES : BL RPG Tier List (November 2025)
- Clash Royale codes (November 2025)
- Stephen King’s Four Past Midnight Could Be His Next Great Horror Anthology
- The Shepherd Code: Road Back – Release News
- It: Welcome to Derry’s Big Reveal Officially Changes Pennywise’s Powers
- Best Assassin build in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Where Winds Meet: March of the Dead Walkthrough
- How to change language in ARC Raiders
- A Strange Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Error Might Actually Be a Huge Clue
2025-12-03 22:21