America’s most visible spokesman for Tibetan national rights, Richard Gere, 48, spends several months every year in India’s Himalaya Mountains studying Buddhism.
In his spare time, he works on his film career.
“Red Corner,” a thriller that puts the Chinese system on trial, with Gere playing an American businessman in China framed in a murder case, opened Oct. 31. In “The Jackal,” opening Friday, he plays a former IRA gunman sprung from jail to help the feds track down a terrorist (Bruce Willis).
Alternately playful and professorial, Gere lounges around in his West Hollywood hotel interview suite in black boots, jeans and T-shirt and gray long-sleeved shirt. On his right wrist is a string of golden yellow prayer beads, which he occasionally fingers during the interview. But his first action is to rub sleep from his eyes. He just woke up from a five-minute nap.
Q–Did you learn your napping technique from meditation?
A–No, from growing up near an airport. I’m used to noise. If I’m going out, I’m going out. My old man’s the same.
Q–Are you surprised that your work on behalf of Tibet is finally paying off?
A–Five years ago people didn’t really want to talk about this stuff, but now I go into interviews and the first question is “Tell me about China and Tibet.” There’s none of the usual questions about “the girlfriend or the ex.”
Q–How has the Chinese government responded to your efforts?
A–In the beginning, I felt there was a lot of interference coming from China. We started Tibet House and we were putting on a show of Tibetan Art Culture and doing a book on that. Now I think they’ve resigned themselves to the fact that I’m not going away and that the issue is not going away. I’m a very small player in all of this, but I’ve been doing it a long time. I think if you hit rocks long enough, they break up.
Q–Tell us about your characters in “Red Corner” and “The Jackal.”
A–The “Red Corner” character is an Everyman. He wanted to do his job and move on. He’s not someone you would expect to be heroic. “The Jackal” character is in many ways closer to me. He’s much more active and explosive. He’s an IRA hitman, and he’s very cocky.
Q–How has your study of Buddhism changed you?
A–I’m still leading an ordinary life, but I realize if I want to make the kind of (spiritual) progress I want to, I’m going to have to give my allegiance to the other side. I’ve always felt when I was closer to 50 that I’d be more capable of making those drastic decisions. I feel it will be a goodbye to a certain part of me and a hello to another part of me. I’ll be saying goodbye to a lot of attachments here. Probably a lot of career things will go away.
Q–Does this mean fatherhood is out?
A–I’m seeing a woman now (“Law & Order’s” Carey Lowell), a wonderful woman, who has a 7-year-old kid. I’m so nuts about both of them. I’m not the child’s father. (Lowell’s former husband, Griffin Dunne, is.) I’m the crazy uncle, and I enjoy it. I like that position, and I’m told I’m really good at it. I’m goofy. I like to do little magical things. I like to have fun.
A–Does gray hair make you feel distinguished?
A–I’ve had it since I was 30. It’s not an issue for me, and the girls seem to like it.
Q–You do a lot of running in “Red Corner” and “The Jackal.” How do you stay fit?
A–It’s harder. I have to exercise and be careful what I eat. When I start a movie, I’m very heavily back with a trainer.
Q–And to prepare for the nude scene in “Red Corner”?
A–I do a lot of meditation and reading. That’s good for the butt.
