Richard Gere recalls feeling hungry as “normal” before he achieved fame, often subsisting on eggs due to financial struggles.
The ‘Pretty Woman’ star opened up about his difficult years as a struggling actor before his breakthrough role in 1980’s ‘American Gigolo.’ Gere revealed that he could barely afford food during those times.
In an interview with the New York Post’s PageSix, he shared: “My go-to meal was eggs. Going out to eat at restaurants was not even a real thing for me. Those were some hard, desperate times.”
He added: “I was starving during the ’70s as an actor just at the start of my career, just trying to make it. I was lucky enough to work, but there weren’t many actors making any money back then.”
Gere highlighted the widespread financial difficulties among actors in New York: “In New York, nobody made any money. Unfortunately, hunger was a normalcy. Being hungry was the norm for many people, but especially actors starting their journey in New York.”
Richard Gere served as the co-chair for City Harvest’s 40th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street. He expressed his pride in supporting the charity, which collects surplus food from restaurants, bakeries, and cafes, distributing it to community food programs across New York City.
Gere emphasized the importance of the cause, saying: “Food is a life necessity and many do not have that need met in America. Everything is so damn expensive now. So I am happy to lend my hand when it comes to people getting a nutritional meal. It is a basic human right.”
