Richard Gere Calls Trump’s Impact on America ‘Astonishing’ – But Not in a Good Way

Richard Gere is putting his heart and soul into Wisdom of Happiness, a documentary about his longtime friend, the Dalai Lama.

Gere, who first met the spiritual leader around 45 years ago, is more than just a figurehead for the project.

He 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 explained why he believes this message is so crucial today. “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 he thought the Dalai Lama could influence even someone like Donald Trump, Gere admitted he wasn’t sure. “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’s connection to Tibet goes beyond the film. He often visits Dharamshala, the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile. He is a strong advocate for human rights in Tibet and has been involved with several organizations supporting the cause.

He co-founded Tibet House US, started the Gere Foundation, and serves as Chairman of the Board for the International Campaign for Tibet. Because of his support for Tibetan independence, Gere is permanently banned from entering China.

In 2017, he said that his activism has affected his Hollywood career. He believes he is no longer being cast in major blockbusters to avoid offending Chinese audiences, as China has become the second-largest film market in the world.

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