The Life of Legendary Hollywood Actor Richard Gere

In 1979, Gere starred on Broadway in Bent, playing a gay Holocaust victim in a drama about persecution, survival, and identity. The role was emotionally heavy and politically charged, especially at a time when such material was still considered risky for a rising leading man.

His performance earned him a Theatre World Award and showed that he was not interested only in handsome screen roles. Even as Hollywood was discovering his romantic appeal, Gere kept returning to demanding stage work, and that seriousness would soon meet full movie stardom.