The stormy romance and marriage of Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford revisited: A …

29 August 2024, 15:53

Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford were one of the most glamorous couples of the 1990s, but their marriage was short-lived and ended in divorce.

What went wrong between the Hollywood star and the supermodel? How did they meet, fall in love and break up?

First meeting

Richard Gere was already a famous actor when he met Cindy Crawford at a barbecue hosted by photographer Herb Ritts in 1988.

He was 39 years old and had acted in successful films such as American Gigolo, An Officer and a GentlemanAnd Pretty woman.

Cindy Crawford was 22 years old and a rising star in the fashion industry. She had appeared on the cover of Vogue and done campaigns for Calvin Klein, Pepsi and Revlon.

The two felt attracted to each other despite their age difference and different backgrounds.

Early days

They started dating and moved to New York together. They kept their relationship secret and avoided the paparazzi as much as possible.

They also shared an interest in Buddhism and meditation and traveled together to India and Nepal.

“(Gere) was older, so I was just in a different circle and wasn’t doing some of those fashionable things anymore,” Crawford said in the Apple TV+ series. The Supermodels.

“This was a time in my career when I turned away from the elite of haute couture and took more responsibility for my career.”

Cindy and Richard famously attended the 1991 Oscars together and Cindy’s red Versace dress was considered one of the most amazing outfits at the ceremony.

Wedding

In December 1991, they eloped in Las Vegas and married in a simple ceremony at the Little Church of the West.

“Richard (Gere) and I were together for several years and at one point I thought, ‘Are we doing this or what?’ And he said, ‘Let’s go to Vegas tonight,'” Cindy said Yahoo“It wasn’t the wedding I dreamed of. It was so short notice that I wore this Armani suit.

“It was a beautiful Armani suit, but I never dreamed of getting married in a navy blue suit. And the ring was made of tinfoil because it was so short notice. But Herb Ritts was my bridesmaid – and she took the photos!”

They exchanged rings engraved with the Tibetan mantra “Om mani padme hum.” They had no children together.

Their marriage seemed happy and stable, but behind the scenes they faced many challenges. They had busy and demanding careers that kept them apart for long periods of time.

They also reportedly had different personalities and expectations of each other. Richard Gere was considered more introverted and reserved, while Cindy Crawford was more outgoing and sociable.

Cindy Crawford later admitted that she changed herself to fit into his world and please him. She said, “You’re willing to adapt to the person you’re in love with.”

She also said that she felt more like a follower than his equal or friend. She said, “I think part of the problem in our relationship was that we were many things, but I don’t know if we were ever friends — like equals, because I was young and he was Richard Gere.”

divorce

Their marriage began to crumble in 1994 when they issued a joint statement denying rumors that they were gay or bisexual.

The statement reads: “We married because we love each other and have decided to share a life together. We are heterosexual and monogamous and take our commitment to each other very seriously.

“There is and never has been a prenuptial agreement of any kind. Reports of a divorce are completely false. There are no plans for a divorce and there never were any plans for one. We remain married. We both look forward to starting a family.”

The statement backfired and only fueled further speculation about their sexuality and compatibility.

They separated soon after and filed for divorce in 1995.

They cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their separation. They did not have a prenuptial agreement, but settled their divorce amicably and privately. They remained friends after the divorce, but did not stay in touch much.

Further marriages

Richard Gere married actress Carey Lowell in 2002 and had a son with her. They divorced in 2016.

He then married Spanish publicist Alejandra Silva in 2018 and had two more sons with her.

Cindy Crawford married businessman Rande Gerber in 1998 and has two children with him, Presley and Kaia Gerber, both of whom are models.

The relationship and marriage of Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford was a fairytale that unfortunately couldn’t last. They were two beautiful and successful people who fell in love but couldn’t make anything of it.

They learned from their mistakes and moved on with their lives, but they are still remembered as one of the most iconic couples of the 90s.