News | Entertainment
11 Jul 2025 21:27
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Anderson Cooper says Richard Gere made him realise he was gay

    The 55-year-old TV host - who is the son of late heiress Gloria Vanderbilt and actor Wyatt Cooper - went to see the 'Pretty Woman' actor, 72, starring in the gay-themed play 'Bent' back in 1977 with his mother's friends and knew he was gay when Richard appeared on stage


    He said: "They took me to see Richard Gere in Bent, which if anyone doesn't know about the play Bent, it's about two gay guys in the concentration camp. I mean the opening scene... It is the gayest thing you can imagine. And this was Richard Gere in 1977 [around the time he was in] 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar'. He was so beautiful. And I'm there. My mom didn't go. It was just me and my mom's two gay friends. And I just remember being like, 'Oh my God, I'm gay. ... I'm totally gay.' "

    The CNN star - who has son Wyatt, two, and Sebastian, four months, via a surrogate and continues to raise them with his ex-boyfriend Benjamin Maisani - went on to reveal that he even got to meet Richard Gere after the show in his dressing room and "couldn't speak" when he laid eyes on the shirtless star.

    Speaking on 'Radio Andy', he added: "And afterward, Paul Jasmin was friends with Richard Gere. Cause Paul Jasmin took the pictures for 'American Gigolo' and we go backstage and Richard Gere is shirtless in his dressing room. And I couldn't speak.

    And I had my Playbill and I wanted to get him to autograph it, but I was too - I just couldn't stop staring at his chest. And so, fast forward to 10 years ago, I was interviewing Richard Gere and I took out the Playbill ... and I told him the whole story and I had him sign it. Yeah. He was very tickled with it."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     11 Jul: The Mavericks frontman Raul Malo fears he could be deported from the US despite being born in Florida
     11 Jul: Lena Dunham enjoyed a creative reawakening after moving to London
     11 Jul: Jesse Tyler Ferguson received criticism from the gay community for his role on Modern Family
     11 Jul: Kesha has cancelled a concert in Dallas, Texas after the state was devastated by flash floods
     11 Jul: Yungblud gifted a custom cross to Ozzy Osbourne before Black Sabbath's farewell concert
     11 Jul: Sigrid is trying to not take herself "too seriously"
     11 Jul: Jared Harris had his stomach pumped after accidentally drinking paraffin
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    A simple game plan for the All Blacks in tomorrow's second test against France More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    A limited number of New World club card accounts have been the target of a cyber attack More...



     Today's News

    Motorsports:
    Brodie Kostecki has won the opening race of the latest Supercars event in Townsville from pole position 21:17

    International:
    Donald Trump says US will impose 35pc tariff on Canadian goods 21:07

    Entertainment:
    The Mavericks frontman Raul Malo fears he could be deported from the US despite being born in Florida 21:00

    Entertainment:
    Lena Dunham enjoyed a creative reawakening after moving to London 20:30

    Entertainment:
    Jesse Tyler Ferguson received criticism from the gay community for his role on Modern Family 20:00

    Entertainment:
    Kesha has cancelled a concert in Dallas, Texas after the state was devastated by flash floods 19:30

    Golf:
    Dame Lydia Ko is enjoying having some Kiwi company on the LPGA Tour 19:07

    Entertainment:
    Yungblud gifted a custom cross to Ozzy Osbourne before Black Sabbath's farewell concert 19:00

    Business:
    A limited number of New World club card accounts have been the target of a cyber attack 18:57

    Rugby:
    A simple game plan for the All Blacks in tomorrow's second test against France 18:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd