
Gere doesn't take "no" for an answer.
A Japanese news report claims that Nissan has backed out of a contract to use Richard Gere in a television commercial for fear that his public support of the Dalai Lama will anger China. Industry insiders claim that Nissan decided to use Gere for their Teana brand on the 7th March and arranged to sign a contract worth $1.6 million at the end of the month with filming beginning on the 9th April. As violence erupted in Tibet, Nissan grew nervous about Gere's politics. The company has manufacturing operations in China and recently announced new sales targets for the Chinese market and became concerned that Gere would be a liability. They apparently decided on the 18th March not to go ahead with the deal. Sources close to Gere say even though there was no contract, there may well be case in court to force Nissan to pay not only the contracted amount but also a penalty. Nissan had no comment. The article says that since Gere's statements on Tibet are hardly a secret to anyone, Nissan appears to have blundered in starting negotiations with the actor in the first place.