Hollywood leading man Richard Gere is back in New York and back on camera, this time starring in an unconventional romance that has sparked considerable online conversation. The 76-year-old actor has been spotted on location filming scenes with his 28-year-old co-star Diana Silvers for the upcoming film “Asymmetry,” an adaptation of Lisa Halliday’s critically acclaimed 2018 novel.
Gere and Silvers have been photographed throughout New York City during production, which began in early July. In one particularly widely-shared image from July 15, the pair was spotted on a bench in Central Park, holding hands and sharing intimate moments between takes. Gere wore a white button-up shirt and jeans while Silvers dressed in a colorful, leaf-print dress. Earlier in the month, they were photographed walking through the Upper West Side and Riverside Park, animatedly chatting while holding hands.
The film, directed by Oscar winner Edward Zwick, brings to the screen the story of Alice, a young editorial assistant played by Silvers, who encounters Ezra, a world-renowned 70-year-old author played by Gere, in Central Park. What begins as a single moment of eye contact sparks an unexpected connection that blossoms into a secret, life-changing relationship between the characters. The film explores the unconventional nature of their romance, examining themes of power, age, and love across generations.
Zwick, who is returning to feature filmmaking for the first time in eight years, collaborated with author Halliday and screenwriter Marshall Herskovitz on the script. Zwick previously worked with Gere on the 1996 war drama “Courage Under Fire,” which starred Denzel Washington. Zwick is also known for directing acclaimed films including “Glory,” “The Last Samurai,” and “Blood Diamond,” as well as producing the Oscar-winning Best Picture “Shakespeare in Love.”
Halliday’s novel, published in 2018, has earned widespread critical praise. The New Yorker called it “a literary phenomenon,” and the New York Times included it on its list of “15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century.” Former President Barack Obama selected the novel as one of his favorite books from 2018.
Silvers, 28, is best known for her role in the 2019 coming-of-age comedy “Booksmart.” She has also appeared in the horror film “Ma” and the Netflix comedy series “Space Force.” The age gap between the actors and their on-screen romance has generated significant buzz on social media, with some viewers making comparisons to Gere’s earlier romantic comedy “Pretty Woman,” released in 1990, when Gere was 40 and co-star Julia Roberts was 22.
Interestingly, Gere himself is in a real-life age-gap relationship. He has been married to Alejandra Silva since 2018. Silva is 33 years younger than Gere, making her 43 years old to his 76. The couple met through mutual friends in 2014 and have been public about their relationship, occasionally discussing their marriage in interviews. When asked about what brings him calm, Gere has spoken warmly about his wife, saying “Kissing my wife. When she lets me, which isn’t all the time.”
Gere recently returned to the United States after relocating his family to Spain, and has been actively working on new film projects. “Asymmetry” marks another significant role for the veteran actor, who has built a storied career spanning decades with roles in films including “American Gigolo” and “Chicago.”
The actors were photographed multiple times during production on the Upper West Side and near Central Park, with signs posted in the neighborhood indicating filming would continue through late July. Details about the film’s release date have not yet been announced, though production is ongoing in New York City.