Richard Gere Once Threatened to Sue This Talk Show for Calling Him a ‘Sex Symbol’
In 1980, Richard Gere had a breakout role in the film American Gigolo, a part that led many to consider him a sex symbol. Since then, the actor has starred in films like Pretty Women and Chicago. While he’s had a fruitful career, he doesn’t like the sex symbol label that stuck with him for decades. After one interview, he even threatened legal action against the program for referring to him as such.
Richard Gere once threatened legal action when a talk show host called him a ‘sex symbol’
In 1989, Gere appeared on the talk show Aspel & Company. While introducing Gere, host Michael Aspel made the mistake of referring to Gere as a sex symbol. Before it aired, Gere’s team reached out, warning them to cut the phrase out of the interview.
“When Richard Gere came on the show, I introduced him, and at the end I said, and ‘he’s done this, he’s done that,’ and I used the phrase’ sex symbol,'” Aspel told The Daily Mail. “After the interview, we had a phone call from his agent saying if I didn’t remove the sex symbol thing, they were going to take it up with their lawyer.”
Aspel believed that Gere wanted to be taken seriously as an actor and humanitarian. He didn’t think the label of sex symbol would help with this.
“He would not be known as a sex symbol,” Aspel said. “It was very odd. But he took himself very seriously, because he did a lot of stuff for the people of Tibet.”
Richard Gere has spoken about why he shies away from the ‘sex symbol’ label
Shortly after the release of American Gigolo, Gere laughed at his newfound status as a sex symbol.
“Isn’t it ridiculous that I look sexy in American Gigolo? I laughed out loud when I saw the print of it. I mean, each night I put on my makeup and I look like this — a lobotomy victim,” he told Rolling Stone, referencing his role in a Broadway play. “Then I see what I looked like eight months ago. You can see the absurdity of appearance.”
In an interview with HELLO! Magazine years later, he doubled down, saying he has never felt like a sex symbol.
“At no time in my life have I ever felt like a sex symbol,” he said, per AZ Central. “It’s an illusion. But the work you do and the spirit that you give to it does have an impact on people and that I can take pride in.”
In 2006, the actor said he aged out of being a sex symbol
By 2006, Gere said people should stop considering him a sex symbol. He believed he’d aged out of the label.
“I’m 57 years old. Look, how much longer can I be a sex symbol?” he told the Evening Standard. “Let’s be realistic about this.”
He said that he hasn’t had too difficult a time adapting to his changing looks as he ages. He never placed all that much value on them anyway.
“I feel like I’m 26 years old — except when I look in the mirror and see a man who is in his 60s with white hair and wrinkles,” he said in 2015. “But it doesn’t feel that strange.”
