Richard Gere is reflecting on his 20-year ban from the Oscars.

The 76-year-old actor has a new documentary film out titled Wisdom of Happiness about the Dalai Lama , a long-time friend of his. Since meeting him, Richard has been an outspoken advocate for Tibetan independence.

During the 1993 Academy Awards, he spoke out against China’s policies in Tibet. After that, he wasn’t invited back as a presenter again until 2013.

Speaking with Variety about his documentary and relationship with the Dalai Lama , the star said his controversy “never came up.”

“They’ll tell him once in a while if I get an award or something and he sends a note, congratulating me, that he’s happy for me, But that’s about as close as it gets to actually talking about movies,” the Chicago actor

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