There is a noticeable scar along the left side of Richard Gere's head, noticeable with the short haircut. I couldn't find any reference to it in his IMDB or Wikipedia bios. So the questions are:
Was it supposed to be part of his character? If so, no reference made.
If not, how did it get there?
Well, there it is.
I kinda wondered too - since in most of his movies he has thick hair . . .
If it was real or created, it meant to portray something about the character of George - just as in the first scene where he has an unexplained gash on his forehead and cheek
- in that there are things like this even the person themselves can not explain - particularly with addicts, in George's case, alcohol - did he pass out or black out and fall on his face?
Did somebody roll him?
Whatever the circumstances - the physical symptoms all point to the alcoholism, alcohol being George's choice to cope with his depression . . . which sends him spiraling further down, in his words ' the rabbit hole' . . .