Richard Gere, Carey Lowell – his second wife – and their child lived together in a $44 million Hamptons mansion. Despite the estate being quite impressive, the “Chicago” star struggled to sell it when the time came.
With a career spanning almost five decades, it is fair to say that Richard Gere is one of the most successful actors in Hollywood. His career peaked in 2003 when he won a Golden Globe for “Chicago,” but things have slowly stalled since then.
During Gere’s second marriage, he lived in a massive property in the Hamptons that had everything a family needed to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. However, he had such a hard time selling it that he had to cut the price significantly.
Before we get into detail about the actor’s home, let’s have a look at his past personal and professional life. Before tying the knot with his first wife, the star dated and had flings with several women.
Gere’s Famous Wives
Born in August 1949, Gere’s foray into the entertainment industry dates back to 1973 when he had a small part in the TV film “Chelsea D.H.O.” He started earning people’s respect in the late 1970s when he played a supporting role in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” and starred in “Days of Heaven” alongside Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, and Linda Manz.
Gere’s big break came in 1980 when he became a sex symbol after portraying Julian Kay in “American Gigolo.” His Hollywood fame and good looks were the perfect combinations for him to date other gorgeous celebrities like Diana Ross and Padma Lakshmi.
Even Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis Presley for six years, revealed that she had a one-night stand with Gere but could barely remember what happened. After drinking too much alcohol, she said that Gere asked her where she was going, and she told him, “Home,” he grinned and said she wasn’t.
Priscilla then “found [herself]” in his car. The following day, she woke up next to Gere with little recollections about what happened the previous night. The actor was romantically involved with many successful people.
However, the first woman who convinced him to walk down the aisle was actress and model Cindy Crawford. Their relationship surprised many people, especially because she was about 16 years her junior.
When they tied the knot in 1991, Crawford was 26, and Gere was 42. She didn’t think she was young at the time, but in 2016, Crawford admitted she was indeed quite young to marry him.
Experts believe that the $65 million Gere was hoping to get for [the mansion] was “outrageous.”
The former supermodel said that one of the main problems in their relationship was that they could never become good friends because she was too young, and “he was Richard Gere.”
She eventually started growing into herself, and once you’re already in a relationship, changing its nature is “hard.” After divorcing in 1995, they remained close for a while, but they gradually stopped seeing each other.
Gere then married “Law & Order” actress Carey Lowell in 2002. It seemed like the actor had finally met his soulmate as they even welcomed a son, Homer, two years before saying, “I do.”
Unfortunately, their love story came to an end in 2013 when she filed for divorce. The former couple’s different lifestyles were the main reason for their separation. While Gere wanted privacy at the family’s Hamptons mansion (more about it later) and to focus on his work for ecological causes and AIDS awareness, Lowell was all about socializing and being around people and the limelight.
Although they immediately agreed to share custody of their son, they were involved in a legal battle for three years over Gere’s fortune. In 2016, they finally reached an agreement and officially parted ways.
Gere never gave up on love and found “the one” in publicist and political activist Alejandra Silva. They married in 2018 and currently share two children. Next up, we have a brief look at the actor’s home, where he lived with Lowell.
The Hampton’s House
Coming back to Gere’s mansion in the Hamptons, where he lived with his son Homer and his second wife Lowell, it attracted a lot of attention in 2013 when the actor listed it for $65 million. The 6.3-acre property is better known as Strongheart Manor.
In a series of separate land purchases between 2005 and 2008, Gere got ownership of the estate, and it has everything a family needs. It was built in 1902, it is located on the peninsula of North Haven, Long Island.
It includes two guest houses, an outdoor fireplace pavilion, a private deep-water dock, and gorgeous and colorful gardens. Since trees and plants surround the main house, the living room and other areas have large wood-framed windows to let the natural light in.
The beautiful sight is also a plus, and over the years, the property was renovated and expanded with 12 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, and more than 12,000 square feet of space. While the mansion is nothing short of incredible, experts believe that the $65 million Gere was hoping to get for it was “outrageous” as the mansion was “rather normal looking.”
The estate, which also features three fireplaces, a long swimming pool, and a sunroom that looks out toward the 300 feet of waterfront property, stayed on the market for three years.
In 2016, amid Gere and Lowell’s divorce, the actor cut the price almost in half and relisted it for $36.5 million. Later that year, the former “Today” host Matt Lauer bought it.
Unfortunately, Lauer and his former wife, Annette Roque, didn’t have enough time to enjoy the mansion. After living in it for just one year, they parted ways after the TV personality was accused of sexual misconduct and eventually fired from “Today.”
In 2019, Lauer listed Strongheart Manor for $44 million, but just like it happened to Gere, he has had a hard time finding someone to buy it. Lauer relisted the property in July 2021 for $43.9 million, but it is unclear if he had already sold it.