by Bob Strauss

Age is not a good thing for most actors, but it's doing wonders for Richard Gere. Prematurely gray and proud of it, the handsome 48-year-old star seems to be thriving on maturity.

Opening the doors to China RealVideo | QuickTime | Don't Know |

In his sex-symbol days, Gere veered from fine showings (Looking for Mr. Goodbar, An Officer and a Gentleman) to questionable choices (Breathless). But his performances in the '90s have been rock solid, including his work in the decade's signature romantic comedy, Pretty Woman, and his superb portrayal of a clever lawyer outsmarted by his own compassion in Primal Fear.

Gere's once flamboyant personal life--the too-glamorous marriage to Cindy Crawford, the scandalous tabloid rumors, the infamous Oscar speech--has also undergone a change for the better. There's his rewarding relationship with Law and Order star Carey Lowell. And he has become the most prominent spokesman--outside of his friend and spiritual guide, the Dalai Lama--for the movement to free Tibet from Chinese occupation.

In the new movie Red Corner, Gere's professional resurgence merges with his humanitarian concerns. Playing an entertainment attorney forced to deal with China's nightmarish judicial system, he addresses fundamental rights issues and acts his heart out in the bargain. As if that weren't enough, Gere also stars in The Jackal, an international thriller starring Gere, Bruce Willis and Sidney Poitier that opens in mid November.

Of course, Gere still knows how to make a splash. He attracted a cadre of activists and celebs to his "State-less" dinner on October 29, across the street from the White House's gala feting Chinese President Jiang Zemin. But even this act, like most of what Gere does and says these days, was done less for show than for his deep devotion to the principles and people he loves.