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Richard Gere recently said adiós to America and relocated to Spain — but there is one thing he misses about life in his home country.
The actor, 76, told People that he pines for New York City’s “energy,” describing it as “very addictive.”
The “American Gigolo” star spent years living in the Big Apple, beginning in the 1970s when he was a starving, struggling actor.
Last year, he and his Spanish-born wife, Alejandra Silva, 42, moved to Madrid with their children Alexander, 5, and James, 4.
Despite longing for the hustle and bustle of New York, Gere is thrilled to have made a home for himself across the Atlantic.
“My wife is so happy in Spain, so that’s the best part of that,” the “Pretty Woman” alum gushed. “She has wonderful family, wonderful friends.”
“Spanish culture, there’s a very open joy about it,” continued Gere, before explaining that the Spanish people are “very warm and very open and a lot less stressed.”
“It’s a very happy place. Like the Italians. I mean, being in Italy, being in Spain, you’re dealing with Latin cultures that just understand life in a different way,” he concluded.
Gere and Silva first met in 2014.
In addition to their two children, Gere is also dad to son Homer, 25, from his marriage to Carey Lowell, while Silva has an 11-year-old son, Albert, from a prior marriage.
In January, Gere gave fans an update on his new digs in Madrid.
“The truth is that you are seeing us in our momentum,” he told Elle España alongside his wife. “We are happier than ever.”
According to Gere, their happiness is directly correlated to living in Spain.
“She, because she is at home and I because, if she is happy, I am happy,” he stated.
“We are like soulmates,” the publicist gushed during their joint interview. “We have the same values, we see the world in the same way and from the first moment we felt like we have known each other for a long time. And this only happens once, if it happens at all.”
Silva shared: “We were united by the karma of our past lives.”
The mom of three also touched on how the family has settled into their routine in Spain after selling their $10.75 million mansion in Connecticut.
“Richard is a very devoted and present father,” Silva gushed. “He loves to read them stories. It seems like an idyllic photo, but it’s true. He’s a great dad.”
“He doesn’t cook. I do it, but when I cook, he plays the guitar.”
In addition to Silva’s desire to return to her home country, the couple were also drawn there for humanitarian reasons.
“The only reason why both Richard and I are here in Madrid is to be part of the board of the NGO Hogar Sí,” she elaborated. “We want to help this country to end homelessness. Our goal is that, within 5 years, no one sleeps on the street.”
Gere paraphrased a piece of advice he received from the 14th Dalai Lama during their interview, sharing, “Whenever you can, be kind. And it is always possible.”
The actorpreviously expressed his excitement about their move in November 2024.
“My wife is Spanish and she gave me about seven years here, and so we’re going to spend some years in Madrid,” Gere shared on “The Tonight Show” at the time. “Our kids are bilingual, so they’re going to flourish there.”
