Richard Gere, one of Hollywood’s most familiar faces from films like American Gigolo and Runaway Bride, is turning the page to a new chapter—this time across the Atlantic. At 75, he has shared that he and his wife, Alejandra Silva, along with their children, are relocating to Madrid, Spain. He mentioned the plan during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, noting that the family aims to be settled in time to mark Thanksgiving there. For fans who wondered if this means a final goodbye to Hollywood, he made it clear he isn’t disappearing—work will still bring him back to the United States when needed. What’s changing is the place he calls home.
A move guided by love, roots, and family
There is a simple, heartfelt reason at the center of this decision: family. Gere explained that his wife is Spanish and that years ago they agreed to spend a set period living in the United States before moving to Spain. With those years now fulfilled, the couple felt the moment was right to make good on that promise and settle in Madrid for a while. It is less about leaving something behind than it is about returning to a place that has always been close to Alejandra’s heart and opening a door for their children to grow up with both of their cultures close at hand.
Gere spoke warmly of Madrid and how natural the transition feels for his family. The move isn’t about turning away from his career or the country where he built it; it is about answering a pull that many people recognize as they get older—the desire to be closer to loved ones and to the traditions that shape family life. The actor also emphasized that he’ll continue to work and travel. The difference now is that when the cameras stop rolling, home will be in Spain.
Finding comfort in a big, welcoming Spanish family
Part of what excites Gere is the way his wife’s family comes together. He described Alejandra’s background as the kind where Sunday lunches are a joyful crowd and the table stretches to include cousins, aunts, uncles, and whoever else might drop by. He reminisced about her grandmother who once held everyone together, the beloved matriarch whose presence guided family gatherings. After she passed away around two years ago, Gere has seen his wife naturally begin to take on that role—organizing, inviting, and making sure everyone feels included. He smiled at the thought that these lunches could draw 30 or more people, a weekly tradition brimming with laughter and stories. For him, this is not just a change of address; it is a return to a style of living where community beats at the center of the home.
Honoring a family legacy, building a new home
Gere and Alejandra’s children are bilingual, something the couple treasures. Raising kids who can glide comfortably between languages also means raising kids who can belong to two worlds. In Spain, the children will have the chance to deepen their Spanish roots, absorb the customs, and enjoy the rhythm of life in Madrid while still carrying their American experiences. Gere believes this is a gift that will help them flourish. For many parents and grandparents, that desire will sound familiar: to give the next generation both a sense of where they come from and a set of wings to explore who they can become.
Gere has been candid that this chapter will also be new for him personally. In an interview with Vanity Fair Spain earlier this year, he reflected that he has never lived full time outside the United States. For someone who has worked all over the world, that might sound surprising, but the distinction matters. Traveling for work is one thing; truly rooting your life in a different country is another. He called the move to Madrid a great adventure. The word fits—an adventure at a thoughtful pace, one that makes room for family, culture, and a new way of living.
The joy of gathering: Sunday lunches for the whole crew
One image keeps coming up when Gere talks about Spain: the Sunday lunch. It is more than a meal. It is a weekly celebration of closeness with family around a long, generous table. He imagines those afternoons where the dishes keep arriving, the children run in and out, and conversations float from one end of the table to the other. Those gatherings are a reminder of why this move makes so much sense. There’s comfort in routine, and there is also comfort in community. Spain, and Madrid in particular, offers both.
As he describes it, Alejandra is already mapping out the menus and guest lists, a sign that the family is not just moving to Spain but settling into it. For many, that kind of hospitality calls to mind familiar memories—perhaps a parent or grandparent who once made sure the house was always full, the coffee hot, and the door open. The couple’s plan is to nurture those traditions and carry them forward for their children and the extended family.
Closing a chapter in Connecticut
Part of preparing for a new life abroad is letting go of the places that once defined home. In October, Gere sold his Connecticut residence for $10.7 million. He had purchased the six-bedroom property in 2022 from Grammy-winning musician Paul Simon, paying $10.8 million at the time. The numbers tell a practical story—real estate moves to match life’s turns—but there is an emotional one as well. Packing up a beloved home, even a grand one, means taking a breath and trusting the next step. Madrid is that next step.
Leaving a house full of memories can be bittersweet. But it often creates the space needed to put down fresh roots. For the Geres, that fresh start looks like a home base in Spain, new neighborhoods to explore, and the simple routines that make a place feel familiar—morning walks, a favorite café, and the friendly faces you begin to recognize at the market.
What life in Madrid might look like
Madrid is a city that balances energy with ease. It is lively without being hurried, cultured without being distant. Museums, parks, and tree-lined boulevards set the tone. People linger over meals, and evenings stretch into relaxed conversations. There is room to breathe. For a family with young children, it is easy to imagine weekend strolls through Retiro Park, visits to local markets, and gatherings that start with a casual coffee and end with a full table.
The city’s warmth extends beyond the sunshine. Neighbors talk, traditions matter, and hospitality is part of the fabric. For someone accustomed to the pace of Hollywood, that sense of community can feel like a balm. And because Madrid is so well connected, the family can move between continents when work or family matters call. It is a hub that offers calm at home and convenience for travel.
Work continues, just from a different home base
Gere has been clear that this move is not a retirement from acting. The film and television world is more flexible than ever, with projects shooting across Europe and North America. Flights are easy, schedules can be tailored, and remote collaboration is routine. Many actors split their time between countries. In that sense, Madrid simply becomes home base rather than a boundary. He will be back in the States when roles demand it, and back in Spain when the job is done.
For fans, that should be reassuring. A new address does not mean fewer stories to tell. It may even enrich them. Living abroad often brings fresh perspective—a different rhythm of life, different conversations, a broader view of what matters. All of that can deepen an artist’s work.
Why now, and what it says about choosing a new chapter at 75
Choosing to move overseas at 75 might surprise some people, but for others it makes perfect sense. Life has seasons, and with each one, our priorities shift. For Gere, this moment appears to be about deepening family ties, honoring his wife’s roots, and giving their children a world that feels full and connected. It is also about personal growth—stepping beyond what is familiar and welcoming the unknown with curiosity.
There is also something powerful in the message it sends: it is never too late to make a bold choice for your family and yourself. Whether that means moving across town or across the ocean, the point is the same. Change can be exciting and comforting at once, especially when it leads you closer to the people you love.
Stepping outside the comfort zone
Gere has admitted that living full time outside the United States will be new territory for him. That honesty is refreshing. The adventure he speaks of is not just about scenery; it is about learning the daily details of a different country. New customs. New phrases. New favorite spots. Many people who have made similar moves say the little discoveries become the anchor points of each day—the greengrocer who remembers your name, the rhythm of siesta hours, the way neighborhoods come alive in the evening.
There will be adjustments, of course. But they are the kind of adjustments that often bring a sense of renewal. For families, it can also be a practical gift: children pick up language quickly, and grandparents who visit will find themselves welcomed into the fold of a big, affectionate Spanish family.
Not the only star making a transatlantic move
Gere is not alone in choosing a home abroad. Other American stars have recently made similar decisions, including Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi, who moved to England. Their choices reflect a wider pattern of public figures creating space between their private lives and the constant buzz of the entertainment industry. It is less about leaving their careers and more about finding places that support a calmer, more grounded day-to-day life.
For long-time fans, these moves can be a reminder that even the most recognizable faces are simply people balancing work with home, looking for the right setting to raise a family, tend to relationships, and enjoy the moments that happen off-camera.
Thanksgiving, the Spanish way
The timing of the move—just as Thanksgiving approaches—adds a tender touch. Imagine the holiday table this year: a traditional turkey perhaps, but also Spanish favorites making their way onto the plates. The meal becomes a bridge between two cultures, a living symbol of what this family is creating together. For many readers, that image will feel familiar. Blending old traditions with new surroundings is how we carry our stories forward.
There is a grace in celebrating where you come from while opening your heart to where you are. For the Geres, Thanksgiving in Madrid will likely become one of those anchor memories—a reminder that home is not defined by a map but by the people gathered around the table.
A warm goodbye that is not a farewell
As Gere and his family pack their bags, the spirit of the move is clear. It is not a final bow to Hollywood, but a gentle shift toward family, culture, and a way of life that feels right for them now. He will keep acting. He will keep telling stories. And he will do it with the steady comfort of knowing that when the workday ends, there is a home in Madrid where the table is set, where the children are speaking Spanish and English with ease, and where Sunday lunches stretch long into the afternoon.
For anyone in the same season of life, the lesson is simple and hopeful. It is never too late to follow your heart to a place that feels like home. Whether you are crossing a city line or an ocean, choosing community, family, and joy is always a move worth making. As Richard Gere turns toward Spain, he shows that a new chapter can be both brave and beautifully ordinary—a life filled with familiar love in a brand-new setting.
