Overview
- Speaking to Variety, Gere said he "didn't take it particularly personally" and described his intent as opposing anger, exclusion, and human rights abuses.
- He connected his stance to decades of Buddhist practice and his friendship with the Dalai Lama, whose new documentary Wisdom of Happiness he executive produced.
- At the 1993 Oscars, Gere went off-script to denounce China's human rights record, referencing Deng Xiaoping and Tibet, drawing applause in the room.
- Academy leaders later criticized political remarks on the telecast, and Gere did not present again until 2013, when he returned with Chicago costars.
- On his 2013 return, he joked that he had been "rehabilitated," noting that time had softened the Academy’s posture toward his on-air comments.