The American actor Richard Gere was banned from the Oscars ceremonies in 1993, a prohibition that lasted 20 years before he returned to the Academy’s grand award event in 2013. But why?
In an interview with Variety published on Wednesday, the “Pretty Woman” star, 76, explained how he felt after being barred from Oscar events following a speech rebuking China’s policies.
“I didn’t take it personally,” Gere began, adding that he doesn’t believe there was a villain in the story.
“I do what I do, and I certainly don’t want to harm anyone. I want to fight anger, exclusion, and human rights violations. I try to stay as close as possible to the essence of His Holiness,” he continued, referring to the Dalai Lama, with whom he has maintained a friendship for over 45 years.
Gere mentioned embracing “the Dalai Lama’s beliefs that everyone is redeemable and, in the end, everyone needs to be redeemed, or none of us will be. In that sense, I don’t take it personally.”
Why Was Gere Banned from the Oscars?
The ban on Richard Gere began in 1993. While presenting the award for Best Art Direction at the Oscars, Gere took the opportunity to denounce the “horrendous human rights issue” in China and Tibet.
In his speech, the “American Gigolo” actor stated, “If something miraculous, something truly movie-worthy, could happen there, if we could all send love, truth, and a bit of common sense to Deng Xiaoping to withdraw the troops and the Chinese from Tibet and let the people live once again as a free and independent nation.”
The speech was not well received, resulting in a 20-year absence from the Academy Awards. There was, however, an exception. In 2003, the musical “Chicago” won the Best Picture award, and Richard Gere received the honor for his role.
Nonetheless, his official return only occurred in 2013 when he returned to present an award alongside Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
At the time, the “Runaway Bride” actor even made a joke: “It seems that if you wait long enough, they forget you were banned.”
It is also notable that Richard Gere is banned from entering China for the rest of his life.
When asked if he ever discussed being banned from the Oscars with the Dalai Lama, Gere said, “No.”
“It never came up. Every once in a while, they tell him when I win awards, and he sends me a message congratulating me and saying he’s happy for me. That’s as close as we get to discussing movies,” he explained.
It is noteworthy that Richard Gere served as executive producer of a documentary released in 2025 about the Dalai Lama titled “Wisdom of Happiness.” The actor has frequently spoken out in defense of Tibet and once called for a boycott of the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing.
