He has not changed, a subtle blend of charisma, phlegm and elegance that he displays throughout a demanding filmography. Unforgettable Prince Charming by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (1990) by Garry Marshall, Richard Gere, 75, breaks his sex symbol image in Oh, Canada by Paul Schrader, based on the book of the same name by Russell Banks: he plays Leonard, a filmmaker suffering from terminal cancer who has spent his life avoiding his responsibilities and questions himself when he is about to die. This drama about memory and regrets allows the American actor to deliver a lively interpretation. Interview during his visit to Paris with a peaceful star.
The JDD. When did your friendship with Paul Schrader begin?
Richard Gere. We’ve known each other for forty-five years, you realize! He claims that our meeting dates back to the Cannes Film Festival where I defended The Harvests of Heaven (1978) by Terrence Malick, but to be honest I have no memory of it. And that seems impossible to me because we had already shot American Gigolo (1980), our very first feature film together. You see, like my character in Oh, Canadamy memory is playing tricks on me! (Laughs.) I remember, however, that he called me at the time when I was renting a small house in Malibu: he showed up when he didn’t need to.
He was still the screenwriter of Taxi Driver (1976) by Martin Scorsese! He explained the facts to me: he was about to start shootingAmerican Gigoloand its main actor [John Travolta, NDRL] had just let go. He wanted me to replace him and give him my answer immediately. I asked him to send me the script so I could read it and think about it. He gave me an extension until the next day. I usually need time to commit, but once I do, I go all in.
I told him that I had some insecurities about being a narcissist, which was a good sign because it meant I had to work to figure it out. I was aware that I was venturing into unknown territory. Already in terms of dressing, because I never wore a costume! Everything happened very quickly, but we were proud of the result. We remained friends. It took us a long time to find each other again. We each had our own ideas, but they never came together.
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Oh, Canada did you agree?
Absolutely. Terrible timing on my side because my father had just died when he was about to reach 101 years old. I saw his mind slowly fade away, he disconnected from time and space which no longer had any meaning for him. But he was totally engaged when we talked. His memories began to alter and change, while he perfectly remembered the trajectory of his interlocutor. I found him sometimes disoriented, no longer knowing at all what he was doing there or what was happening, as if lost in a dream.
“So we were both very tested and moved when we arrived at this project”
At the end, I accompanied him to the toilet, I learned how to move him with a nurse. I transcribed his gestures on the screen, I injected my own experience. As for Paul Schrader, he was very close to Russell Banks, the author of the novel from which the screenplay is based. So much so that he assisted him throughout the chemotherapy process, until his death. So we were both very tested and moved when we arrived at this project.
But you also play his alter ego? Because it is the assessment of an aging filmmaker…
Paul Schrader is not that old: he is 78, three years older than me! That means I look young, thanks for the compliment. (Laughs.) Certainly, I am in much better health than him [il a été hospitalisé à plusieurs reprises et a frôlé la mort à cause d’un Covid long en 2022]. Afterwards, I realize that I am entering the last part of my life. At the time we met, our respective careers were blossoming. Today, we are no longer beginners, but we are still learning. We are curious, we are constantly looking to improve and challenge ourselves. Obviously, we are left with a nostalgia for the existence we have led until now and a question about what we will accomplish over time. Trying to use common sense.
But if you take after your father, you will be a hundred years old!
OK, I’m going to tell my wife that she will have twenty-five more years to put up with me! The main thing is to maintain health. Who knows what will happen? I could very well walk out of the building and get hit by a car right after our interview. (Laughs.)
Do you have any regrets?
Yes, if I hurt someone, if I was cruel. But I don’t look to the past. We must erase the ignorance and stupidity from before, otherwise we will not move forward. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of.
How did you transform yourself physically for the film?
“We took two months to determine Leonard’s appearance, we wanted it to be realistic despite the makeup”
We took two months to determine Leonard’s appearance, we wanted it to be realistic despite the makeup. We had to find a way to move quickly because the schedule was tight. We did not have the means to devote too much time to these considerations. I look like my father, but strangely I didn’t see him the first time I was presented with a mirror, made up and in a costume.
What do you think of your character?
He tries to be honest. He organizes this confession device in front of the camera, while his wife listens, to let his truth come out. But his memories are no longer reliable… I remember a time when I was in the car with my father, six months or maybe a year before he disappeared. We were driving from Pennsylvania to upstate New York. I was driving and he was in the passenger seat next to me. At one point, he said to me: “Have I ever told you about my son Richard?” » I told him no, because I wanted to know where his mind was going. He began to tell me the details of his relationship with Richard when he was a student, which was otherwise very bad.
He repeated that he gave him lots of advice and that he couldn’t do the job for him, to motivate him. For me, it didn’t happen like that at all! (Laughs.) It’s all a question of point of view, which is what the film explores. Often, events are false, but emotions do not lie. What we experience remains and determines our deep nature. The empirical evidence is meaningless. Leonard understands that he has made a fiction of his life, his job is to tell stories with narrative arcs.
“I myself have 75 years of feelings behind me. When you look at my filmography, you have a pretty clear overview of who I am”
He wants to reconnect with his wife through his confession. It’s not so much what he says that matters, but the impulse to communicate. Because the end is near. I myself have 75 years of feelings behind me. When you look at my filmography, you have a pretty clear overview of who I am. I referred to Samuel Beckett’s play, The Last Band (1958), where an old man records his memories on cassettes…
Hoping for an Oscar nomination?
No, the film is far too modest! This is an independent production, remember. Maybe Paul Schrader has a better chance of getting one for his script than me.
A few words about The Agencythe American adaptation of Legends Office ?
I have already watched the French series in its entirety with my wife. I became completely addicted! We have three young children, so by 9 p.m. they are in bed and we can finally relax in front of the TV. As we are exhausted, we don’t have the energy to move from the sofa… I received the proposal for this transposition into English, it interested me because I found the original brilliant. We just finished filming the ten episodes of the first season three weeks ago. Broadcast began in the United States on Paramount+/Showtime [prochainement en France sur Canal+].
The action takes place in the CIA office in London: I run the agency and Michael Fassbender is undercover in the field. He does the hard part, it’s easy for me! I had already tried my hand at the eight-episode series in 2019 for MotherFatherSon on the BBC. I still prefer the two-hour format to tell a story, because then we move on to something else. As a viewer, I love binge-watching; on the other hand, on a set, the pace of work is long and tiring.
Other projects?
A documentary on the Dalai Lama, Wisdom of Happinesswhich I co-produced and unveiled at the Zurich Film Festival. It was released in Switzerland, the country of filmmakers Barbara Miller and Philip Delaquis, in Germany and Austria, and remains for sale to the rest of the world. I’m very proud of it. We found extremely rare archive images of His Holiness at all ages since he was 2 years old! He looks like a rockstar. They interviewed him before Covid, he keeps his gaze fixed on the objective, so that it feels like a private interview and he gives us his lessons on how to build a society governed by peace. The world has gone crazy, with these wars that make no sense. The message is full of hope, love and compassion. I have met him several times, I feel very privileged.
Oh, Canadaby Paul Schrader with Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, Jacob Elordi. & h 35. Release Wednesday
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