Richard Gere Is Stunned by Trump’s Impact On America: “It’s Just Astonishing”

Richard Gere is taking an active role in the new documentary Wisdom of Happiness, which focuses on his longtime friend, the Dalai Lama.

Gere, who first met the spiritual leader around 45 years ago, told an interviewer, “I’ve never worked this hard to get a film that I’ve been associated with to be seen in the world. I think this is important enough that I have to give my last bit of energy to put this out there for people to see. At the very least, it will put a seed in the minds of people who see it.”

Gere believes the film’s message is important for the world today. He said, “If we want a world a certain way, then we have to elect leaders who have a similar vision to us and will lead us towards this higher level of possibility — who we are as individuals and how we can create a world, a society where people can live with each other rather than this battlefield every day, all day long, with the craziness. Especially, as I say, coming from this very crude mentality that is now in our leadership.”

When asked if the Dalai Lama could influence even someone like Donald Trump, Gere admitted uncertainty. “I don’t know that it would touch him. I would hope that it would. I would pray that it would. But boy, I don’t know how you explain what he has done to this country, what it feels like to be an American now, 10 or 11 months in. It’s just astonishing. It’s beyond what anyone could ever imagine.”

Gere has long been involved in Tibetan causes. He often visits Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, and has been a strong advocate for human rights in Tibet. He co-founded Tibet House US, started the Gere Foundation, and serves as Chairman of the Board for the International Campaign for Tibet. His support for Tibetan independence has resulted in a permanent ban from entering China.

In 2017, Gere said his activism affected his career in Hollywood. He believes that studios avoid casting him in major films to prevent offending Chinese audiences, as China has become one of the largest film markets in the world.

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