Richard Gere, 76, and Diana Silvers, 28, have been spotted filming their new movie Asymmetry in New York City, with the actors getting cozy in scenes that highlight their 48-year age difference. The film, an adaptation of Lisa Halliday's acclaimed novel, follows an unexpected romance between a young editorial assistant and a world-renowned older author.
On-set chemistry sparks online backlash
Video footage shows Gere with his arms around Silvers as he leans in for a kiss, prompting some social media users to express discomfort. @danameyerson and @jeseniagrams called the scenes 'gross,' while @Msjudithgeorge wrote: 'I like Richard Gere. But the age difference is exhausting.' Others, like @gabbydlgarza, criticized the prevalence of older man-younger woman pairings in Hollywood, calling for more rom-coms featuring older women and younger men.
Plot and production details
Asymmetry tells the story of Alice (Silvers), a young editorial assistant in New York who meets Ezra (Gere), a 70-year-old author, in Central Park. Their connection leads to a secret relationship that faces exposure. The book was named one of Barack Obama's favorites in 2018 and draws parallels to Halliday's own relationship with author Philip Roth, who was 45 years her senior.
The film is directed by Oscar-winner Edward Zwick, who co-wrote the script with Halliday and Marshall Herskovitz. Producing are Zwick and Herskovitz of Bedford Falls Company, along with Clay Pecorin of Rainmaker Films and FilmNation Entertainment, who are co-financing. No release date has been announced.
Author's perspective
Halliday expressed gratitude for the adaptation, stating: 'It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Ed and Marshall on transposing Alice and Ezra’s story for the screen. I am enormously grateful to them for their humor, ingenuity, courage, compassion, and dedication.'
Metro reached out to Gere and Silvers for comment but did not receive a response.
