Months after relocating to Spain, actor Richard Gere and his wife Alejandra Silva are already considering a return to the United States. The couple, who moved to Madrid with their two young sons at the end of 2024, say they are enjoying their new chapter abroad but have no intention of saying goodbye to America for good.
Alejandra, originally from Spain, opened up about their family’s living plans during a red carpet appearance at the 2025 Gala: Carnaval in New York City. Though she and Gere have now settled into life in Madrid, she made it clear the move was never meant to be permanent.
“For a few years [we’ll live in Spain], and then come back. But we're always coming back,” she said, referencing their sons Alexander, 5, and James, 4. “We'll come back here in the summer because we have the kids at camp. We just have to balance our lives there and here.”
The decision to leave New York, where Gere had lived since his early 20s, was rooted in family and a desire for deeper connection to Alejandra’s roots. After years of living in the United States, the couple wanted to raise their children in an environment where they could be closer to their Spanish family and immerse themselves in a new culture.
“I'm with my family... I missed them a lot. But I miss the U.S. So we come back and forth,” Alejandra explained. The family has been traveling between countries since the move, keeping ties strong on both sides of the Atlantic.
The move to Madrid had been in discussion for some time. Gere first spoke publicly about the relocation in early 2024, describing the change as a new adventure. “For me, going to Madrid is going to be a great adventure because I have never lived full time outside the United States,” he said.
“And I think it will also be very interesting for my children. For Alejandra, it will be wonderful to be closer to her family, her lifelong friends, and her culture.”
He added that the decision was mutual and reflected a balance in their partnership. “She was very generous in giving me six years living in my world, so I think it's fair that I give her at least six others living in hers.”
Gere, now 75, emphasized how much he admired the Spanish way of life. “I love Spain and I think your lifestyle is fabulous,” he said. “Your ability to live, transmitting joy and happiness. It is a beautiful place, the food is extraordinary, and people exude sensitivity and generosity, as well as a strong will to laugh and enjoy. So I'm looking forward to going there.”
Since the move, the family has embraced their new surroundings. In a recent interview, Gere said that Madrid felt fresh and exciting and that he had no regrets about making such a big change later in life.
In November, during an interview with Fox News Digital, he reflected on his time in New York City, saying it had shaped much of his life. “New York gets in your blood. It's very hard to remove that. It infects your DNA. But I love Spain too. I love Madrid. And it's time for my wife to be around her family and friends and culture. And good for our kids. I think it's great to be living—not just visiting—but living in another culture.”
The couple’s sons, Alexander and James, have adjusted well to their new environment, helped by their bilingual upbringing. Gere said on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon in November that he believed they would “flourish” in Spain.
“My kids are bilingual, so they're going to flourish there,” he said. During the same interview, he shared that they would be spending Thanksgiving abroad and noted how special it felt to spend Christmas in Spain for the first time. Alejandra later shared a photo on social media of their boys decorating the family’s Christmas tree with the caption, “this year finally, Christmas in Spain!”
The relocation has also been emotionally significant for Alejandra. Her grandmother, a central figure in her large extended family, passed away a couple of years ago. Since then, Alejandra has felt herself stepping into a similar role.
“My wife, she grew up in a very big Spanish family,” Gere told Fallon. “And her grandmother was kind of the glue that held all of that together. And the grandmother passed away. It was about a year and a half ago, two years ago. So, my wife, I can see her morphing into the new grandmother of this extended family. So, she's already planning for 35 people for Sunday lunches.”
In January, Gere shared more about their life abroad in an interview with Elle España. “We are happier than ever,” he said. “She, because she is home and I because, if she is happy, I am happy.”
Alejandra, in the same interview, described the depth of their connection. “We are like soulmates,” she said. “We have the same values, we see the world in the same way and from the first moment we felt that we had known each other for a long time.”
The pair met 11 years ago while both were navigating difficult divorces. Their bond grew from shared values and mutual understanding, and they soon began building a life together.
Over the years, they have appeared at public events, charity galas, and film premieres, often speaking about their blended family and commitment to raising their children with love and respect for both of their cultures.
Gere has one adult son, 24-year-old Homer, from his previous marriage to actress Carey Lowell. Alejandra also has a third son from a prior marriage, making their household lively and filled with the rhythms of a growing, cross-cultural family.
Throughout their relationship, Gere has been openly affectionate about his wife. “My wife has a glow about her, [an] openness and her genuine sense of graciousness, of gratitude, of generosity,” he said recently. Their connection, he emphasized, is rooted in deep mutual respect.
While the family’s life in Madrid is bringing them joy, it is clear that their time in Spain is only one chapter in an ongoing story. Both Gere and Silva have deep ties to the United States, and their children are growing up in two worlds.
“For now, we're enjoying Spain,” Alejandra said, “but we’re always coming back.”
Their intention to return underscores the balancing act of international family life. With children enrolled in American summer camps and both parents still active in their professional and philanthropic efforts in the U.S., the Gere-Silva family is committed to maintaining a presence on both continents.
As they continue to build a home abroad, they are not closing the door on their American life. Instead, they are writing a story that bridges cultures, continents, and generations, grounded in a shared vision of what it means to live meaningfully—together.
