Richard Gere, the American actor shared a strong statement over the country’s current political and presidential state while accepting a lifetime achievement honor at Spain’s Goya Awards this weekend.
Richard Gere took the stage and shared his thoughts on the current state of affairs in the United States.
Speaking at Granada’s Palacio de Congresos, the acclaimed actor expressed concern over political leadership in the country.
“We’re in a very dark place in America where we have a bully and a thug who’s the President of the United States,” Gere stated during his speech.
Before addressing his concerns, the Pretty Woman and Chicago star began by expressing appreciation for the film industry, acknowledging the collaborative effort required to bring stories to life.
“We’re all part of a universe of overlapping pain and sadness and joy and expectations and dreams and hopes and visions. And I see this world that we’re in now forgetting that, and this kind of very foolish tribalism is starting to take us over, where we think we’re all separate from each other, and we have unfortunately elected officials that don’t inspire us in the way we want to be inspired.”
Gere, who recently relocated to Spain with his wife, who hails from Galicia, emphasized that these issues are not exclusive to the U.S. “It’s not just in the U.S. It’s everywhere,” he said.
His remarks were met with applause as he urged vigilance in the face of rising authoritarianism.
“Authoritarianism takes us all over. We have to be vigilant, we have to be alert. We have to be energetic. We have to be brave. We have to be courageous.”
During a press conference ahead of the ceremony, Gere further elaborated on his concerns, as reported by RTVE.
“He’s irresponsible and it’s a real danger that billionaires are controlling America… If you associate money and power, it’s a dark place to be. These clowns dressed as presidents appear immature and narcissistic. That kind of power is killer.”
Gere made history as the first male recipient of the International Goya. Reflecting on the honor, he noted that while grateful, he still sees much ahead in his career. “I still have a lot of things to do.”
