29 March 2024

Richard Gere and  Cindy Crawford: why did the romance of the century end?

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Movie star Richard Gere has always been called the standard of male beauty, although he never had a reputation as a Hollywood macho or restless heartbreaker. Likewise, the famous top model Cindy Crawford has always been the standard of female beauty. Fans have given them both the title of the most beautiful and famous couple of the ’90s. Richard is 73 now, and Cindy is 57. They haven’t been together for a long time. But the world can never seem to forget such a beautiful romance and the short life of their marriage. Is this couple nostalgic for something they can never get back? Who was to blame for the breakup? iphiladelphia will tell you everything.

The relationship the whole world was watching

When the two met, both Richard and Cindy had already risen high enough on the career ladder: He won fame as the most sought-after actor in Hollywood, while she was shining on the world’s runway and on the covers of glossy magazines. Gere and Crawford met in 1988 at a party hosted by photographer Herb Ritts, who was shooting a top model for Playboy magazine at the time. Later, Cindy recalled that in such circumstances, Richard saw her naked about 10 minutes after meeting her. On the very first evening they spent together, a spark flashed between them. People say that in the first hours of conversation, the couple held hands, and everything became immediately clear to everyone present. He was 39 at the time, and she was 22. The age difference seems to be significant, but who cares?

Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford at the Oscars, 1991

The whole world was watching this love story. The romance, the mutual infatuation, their relationship seemed perfect for many. In 1991, they made their first official and most famous red carpet appearance at the 63rd Academy Awards. The beauty wore a red Versace dress and was accompanied by a happy, handsome companion. Later, in the winter of the same symbolic 1991, the couple married in secret. It happened spontaneously on December 12 at the most famous chapel in Las Vegas called Little Church of the West. Apart from the newlyweds, only four people witnessed the marriage (including the photographer who introduced the couple). Reporters were happy to sacrifice a lot to cover the event. The meeting, the relationship, and then the ceremony all happened quickly and unpredictably. Cindy later recalled that over the years that they had been dating, she often asked Richard when they could get married. 

One day he finally answered: “Okay, we’re going to Las Vegas tonight!”

Cindy said that her fiancé tried to give her what she wanted. Though, their wedding could hardly be described as desired or fairy-tale. The event cost Gere only $500. In the rush, the newlyweds missed a lot of things. There were no wedding rings at the ceremony, or rather, they had to be twisted from gum foil. The bride got married in a blue Armani suit instead of a white dress. Yet they were happy, not even realizing that family life would soon become a great challenge for both of them. 

Divorce for many reasons 

Their marriage did not last long. In 1995, the couple announced their divorce. Richard and Cindy split quietly, describing the decision in a joint statement as “personal and painful”. Millions of fans wanted to know what really happened. The paparazzi couldn’t calm down either. Television, the press, and ordinary people in their kitchens all talked about how that marriage was just a publicity stunt or a regular advertising deal. There were many other rumors, conversations and assumptions. The paparazzi followed Richard and Cindy everywhere, competing to see who would get the most juicy comments first. Cindy behaved differently. She repeatedly spoke to the press about her feelings. Clearly, Richard and Cindy were really different. So this became one of the cracks in the relationship. However, it is still believed that the breakup was caused by several factors. The celebrities’ busy work schedules and long distances between them played a major role in family life. They spent little time together without realizing it, and rarely appeared in public together. Plus mutual jealousy and age difference. The press not only began to call their union a PR stunt, but even sowed doubts about Gere’s sexual orientation. In addition, Richard became seriously interested in Buddhism and fanatically insisted that his wife follow him in his faith. He often traveled to Tibet and even preferred it to his wedding trip. The young wife was ready to sacrifice her dream career for motherhood, while her husband did not want to have children. 

Speaking about this relationship two decades later, Cindy said that their main problem was that they focused on different things and noted that she was not sure whether she and Richard had succeeded in becoming friends…

“I was young then, and he was Richard Gere,” Cindy said in 2016.

She said that fame and everything around her was new to her. Cindy remembered that she dove headlong into a relationship with Gere, and although the marriage was doomed to fail, she did not regret it. According to her, her husband understood that she needed to grow and change, and she was mistaken because she considered herself a mature person who had already made the right life choices. Many years after the breakup, both Richard and Cindy have repeatedly admitted that they lacked wisdom and experience in the marriage they were both responsible for, so they could not keep their love alive. 

Happy apart?

The media claimed that Cindy suffered from depression after her breakup with Richard. Who knows. Nevertheless, in 1995 she began a relationship with her current husband, businessman Rande Gerber. Cindy met him at her agent’s wedding. When she broke up with Gere, Rande supported her emotionally for a long time. The beauty was shocked that a relationship with a man could be easy and peaceful. 

Cindy and Rande at the beginning of their relationship

From the very first days, Rande saw her as an equal, not as a beautiful addition. The friendship grew into a relationship, and in 1998, Rande and Cindy got married. At that time, she really desired to become a mother. The dream came true: a year after the wedding, the couple had a son, and two years later, a daughter. The supermodel left the runway to raise her children, rarely participating in photo shoots for magazines. Eventually, Cindy, who built a brilliant career as a model (she appeared on the covers of glossy magazines more than 600 times!), founded a cosmetics line and a furniture brand with the support of her husband. She had great success as a TV host, even tried herself in movies, and became the author of extremely popular sports video tutorials. Crawford found female happiness, harmony and mutual love in a strong marriage. Moreover, her children even found themselves in the modeling business. The family is known for strong mutual support. Rande Gerber often admits that the secret of his strong marriage to Cindy is that they have always been friends. 

Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford

Crawford is not very close to Gere. But she insists that she does not dislike him. She has repeatedly said that she is grateful to him for teaching her how to cope with fame and navigate the world in general. 

Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva

As for Richard, after 11 years of marriage to actress and model Carey Lovell, in 2018 he married Alejandra Silva, with an age difference of over 30 years. The couple have mutual children as well as successors of previous marriages.

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