Richard Gere, Buddhist and gentleman
"The heart of our existence is made of love and compassion and we are all interconnected with each other. Wisdom is the basis of our optimism, which allows us to wake up from the half nightmare we are living in. We must not resign ourselves." Richard Gere he weighs the words he uses with a certain lightness. Serious, but never serious, the actor of American Gigolo And Officer and Gentleman he seems fully satisfied with the life he leads. A serenity that comes from one Buddhist culture of which he has become a full-fledged ambassador in the world.
He turned sixty-two last August: how do you look at the world today?
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I have always been convinced that the best in life only comes to you if you are optimistic. Reality keeps repeating to us how much we are all interconnected: it is a bond that we cannot deny. The only way to survive is to understand this connection and protect each other. When I see how the Dalai Lama is being welcomed all over the planet, apart from China, I am convinced that our little planet - village will be able to function at its best.
Actor and Buddhist, fiction and meditation. What is the boundary between what is true and what is not?
We actors create a kind of manipulation in which we pretend to be at the center of a story. Our work has to get the manipulation to be good to the point that this lie works. The real world continues to bombard us with information that we process to the point that we believe it is true information, while - of course - it is not at all. Reality works differently, it grows continuously, it does nothing but send us back to new situations. In the end, there is nothing that can be considered as truly 'real'.
In this sense, how does your work as an actor fit in?
The very idea of cinema is deeply inherent in the exploration of the mind and heart of men. Today the internet is creating a kind of alternate reality, it has become a repertoire of absolute truths. But life is very bizarre, much more surprising than the imaginary products of our mind. It is a tremendous source of inspiration.
He traveled extensively for work and met thousands of people. What strikes you most about humanity?
The great strength and intelligence of the human mind. Oceans of faces move around the world and each of these men has a chance to overcome negativity. There is nothing more precious than the possibility of expanding your mind.
How did you approach Buddhism?
I encountered Buddhism at the age of twenty, in a period of my life when I was not happy at all, like many boys of my age. To escape a certain sense of emptiness, I started reading books on Tibetan Buddhism. The first tradition that I followed was that Zen of master Sasaki Roshi who for many years has been a great friend of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. I worked a lot with him on concentration and meditation. Every day I meditate about forty minutes and this type of experience is a very comforting to my spirit.
When did you start practicing meditation?
I have been meditating every day since the age of twenty-four. At first it was not easy, then - and I am proud of this - I felt something melt in me and carry me forward in practice.
The Dalai Lama likes to call himself "Richard Gere's friend". When did you first meet him?
After five or six years of Zen study, I had the honor of meeting His Holiness in India. He is my guru, able to follow me on the path of a believer and at the same time inspire me in everything I do. It took time to build this relationship of discipline and respect: the first time we met, he realized how fragile I was.
You go to India very often and it was thanks to a trip that you met Tibetan refugees.
I met Tibetan civilization for the first time in Nepal in 1978. There was a small camp of Tibetan refugees and the thing that struck me most was their spiritual depth and observation skills. It was at that moment that I took their cause to heart.
Don't you feel somehow limited by your work in Hollywood, which is definitely not a place for saints and devotees?
No. I think dealing with the worst aspects of reality almost daily is a great way to get to know yourself and the world. Maybe people don't expect much from me, because I'm an actor and actors do unspiritual things. It is a bit like the story of Milarepa, who, locked up in his cave, marked negative thoughts on the walls with a black chalk, and positive ones with a white one. The first days the cave was entirely black, after a while it became completely white. For a Buddhist, staying in Hollywood or Milarepa's cave is exactly the same thing.
If I didn't lead this existence it would be difficult to get in touch with my dark side. Although the life I lead can often prove to be an incredible distraction, it is actually a valid way to keep in close contact with what I feel inside. I could not dedicate my life to meditation alone. I'm not that strong.
How has the world of cinema changed since it started?
Small films have disappeared and today Hollywood thinks of blockbusters and not losing money. When I started it was a bit like going into the jungle and blasting my way with a machete. We were pioneers who did not know the direction taken. Today the cinema is made with a stencil that certainly cannot be an encouragement for creativity.
What does acting mean to you?
For me the most important thing is life. Even if I love what I do, acting is still a job and I don't consider it who knows what. I prefer to keep a good sense of humor about it.
I try not to plan it too much. I prefer to be surprised by projects that come my way. I am flattered by the pleasure of discovery and by the fact that, after so many years, I get scripts that make me say 'hey, I've never made a film like this'. I think of acting in terms of personal life and certainly not career. I go on for the energy and fun that this job gives me. If this feeling ends, it will be time to stop acting. Believe me, I won't have any problem doing that.
