ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

Kind woman offers pizza to a 'homeless' man in New York — she had no clue he's a Hollywood icon

The A-list actor was extremely happy with the food and blessed her and her family.
PUBLISHED NOV 21, 2024
Representational Image of young woman giving food to homeless beggar man sitting on a bench in city. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | halfpoint)
Representational Image of young woman giving food to homeless beggar man sitting on a bench in city. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | halfpoint)

Most A-list celebrities are known for their opulent lifestyles, but there are also some, who have famously embraced simplicity. While an actor taking the subway or going grocery shopping like any other person does make headlines, getting mistaken for a homeless person takes things to another level. Something like that happened to none other than "Pretty Woman" star Richard Gere, who got free pizza from a woman in New York because she thought he was homeless, according to the New York Post.



 

Karine Gombeau, a 42-year-old woman from Paris, France, was in New York City with her husband, Bruno, and their 15-year-old son. While walking through Little Italy, she noticed a homeless man who looked like he needed help. Out of kindness, Gombeau approached him and offered some leftover pizza her family had bought earlier. The man, who had no idea what she was thinking, asked, "What's in the bag?" Gombeau tried to explain and said, "Je suis désolée [I am sorry], but the pizza is cold."

Close-up homeless man portrait eating bread on walking street. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by LifeBalanceFilm)
Close-up homeless man portrait eating bread on walking street. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by LifeBalanceFilm)

The man was extremely happy with the food and blessed her and her family. Feeling good about her gesture, the family returned to the Salisbury Hotel where they were staying. A few days later, as the family was leaving the hotel, a staff member handed them a copy of the New York Post. They were stunned to see a picture of Gombeau offering pizza to Richard Gere, whom she had mistaken for a homeless man. She later told the New York Post, "It was magical. It’s crazy, this story. It’s unimaginable that something like this could happen."

Beggar with his cart seated at the street eating a sandwich. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Ruben Earth)
Beggar with his cart seated at the street eating a sandwich. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Ruben Earth)

The family realized that they had accidentally walked onto the set of Gere’s new movie, "Time Out of Mind," where he plays a homeless man named George. Gere was dressed in shabby clothes, holding a beer in a paper bag, as he pretended to eat food from the trash near the Grand Central Terminal. Gere stayed in character and accepted the offering graciously. Recalling things that could've tipped them off, Gombeau mentioned that there was a lot of activity near him, and people urged her husband to stop filming. She said, "People came out of the subways. It was very confusing."

The French family may not be the first to have an unexpected encounter with a celebrity in a public place, but Gombeau’s small act of kindness created a memory she and her family will cherish forever. Reflecting on the experience, she said, "I think he’s very handsome, even at his age. "Pretty Woman" was not my favorite movie, but I really loved "Chicago."

Richard Gere is seen at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Stephane Cardinale)
Richard Gere is seen at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Stephane Cardinale)

Although she wasn’t trying to meet a celebrity, her kindness led her to Gere. The actor is known not only for his talent and charm but also for his humanitarian work. Gere’s Hollywood career took off with American Gigolo. Some of his other notable films include "Pretty Woman," "Primal Fear," "Chicago," and "Arbitrage."

The story gained further attention on YouTube and Reddit, where users shared views on the heartfelt encounter. In a post by u/henriksen11 in the subreddit r/pics, many commenters expressed their admiration. One user, @MakeLoveToMeRandy, wrote, "I absolutely love the fact that he just took it and ate it. Free food has no bounds for any man." Another user @Simmer_Doon joked, "I should start dressing like a homeless guy."

Screenshot of a comment under the post. (Image Source: Reddit | Photo by u/henriksen11)
Screenshot of a comment joking about free food. (Image Source: Reddit | Photo by u/henriksen11)

Some commenters noted how unrecognizable Gere was in his character. @Quizzelbuck remarked, "I bet he was thrilled that his 'I'm just a homeless guy' routine worked. If I were an actor playing a homeless person, and people tried to give me a sandwich, I'd be pretty proud of myself." Another user, @dingari added, "Well, you had to include 'Hollywood film star' in the description. I wouldn't have recognized him."

Screenshot of a comment under the post. (Image Source: Reddit | Photo by u/henriksen11)
Screenshot of a comment under the post admiring Gere. (Image Source: Reddit | Photo by u/henriksen11)
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
According to the expert, personal letters and a signature from Tolkien himself added to the value of the book.
8 hours ago
Chistina and Katie Currie won over $88,000 in cash and two exotic vacations with their stunning performance.
9 hours ago
After everyone backed out, the billionaire Shark stepped up to help the founder of Diaper Dust.
1 day ago
Sun kept repeating the incorrect phrase but couldn't identify the error in time.
1 day ago
After almost closing a deal with Mr Wonderful, the founder of 'Simply Good Jars' pivoted hard.
1 day ago
The host thought it was the "worst possible answer" to give even as the team felt it was good enough.
2 days ago
Adding to the controversy, the owner of Dr. Mudd's lapdesk asked Harrison for $100,000.
2 days ago
With just milliseconds to spare, Sarah LaPilusa pulled off an incredible Bonus Round win.
2 days ago
Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles were recalled after the lids of faulty bottles forcefully ejected.
3 days ago
The player laughed and giggled her way through the puzzles to win prizes worth over $57,000.
3 days ago
Scott Riccardi placed an unbelievable wager during Final Jeopardy! to win a massive amount in a day!
3 days ago
The guest got a 200% return on investment on her sculpture that she bought from Macy's.
3 days ago
Jennings had a record-setting winning streak as a contestant before he became the host.
4 days ago
The player, Ron Wheeler, tragically got no clues after his letter picks for the final puzzle.
4 days ago
The former kids champion, Skyler Hornback knew what was coming.
4 days ago
The fans took issue with the clue being too tough and unnecessary for the contestants.
5 days ago
Cuban wanted to strike a deal with the founder of Coconut Girl and gave her an ultimatum.
5 days ago
Although the word did make a lot of difference, some fans felt that the decision was ridiculous.
5 days ago
The guest, who found the item online, didn't think it was the real deal until he heard its value.
6 days ago
The player Samantha secured the first big win of Ryan Seacrest's run on the show.
6 days ago