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

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."