A heartwarming encounter between Richard Gere and a tourist visiting New York City has caught the attention of millions. The tourist, unaware that she was offering help to a famous movie star, thoughtfully offered Gere some fresh food as she found him pulling a partially eaten burger from a trash can.

Gere was actually in character for his role in the 2014 film Time Out of Mind, where he plays a man with mental illness who is forced to live on the streets of New York City. The director asked Gere to “be” homeless for the film, dressing him in rags and placing him on the city streets.

To Gere’s surprise, as he walked around in character, very few people recognized him as the famous actor. He shared, “I was in one of the busiest places in New York. If I had been Richard Gere there, I wouldn’t have lasted 30 seconds.” This experience highlighted the fact that the homeless are often overlooked and unseen by those around them.

Unfortunately, a photo of Gere in his homeless character went viral on social media, with exaggerated claims that he was undercover and giving out $100 bills to homeless individuals. Gere used actor Jenna Malone’s Facebook to set the record straight, explaining that the photo was from a film shoot and the claims were fictional.

While many people passed by without noticing Gere, one woman named Karine Gombeau did stop to offer him some help. Gombeau, visiting from Paris, saw Gere foraging through a trash can and pulled out a half-eaten burger. She offered him leftovers from a pizza they had just ordered, not realizing who he was under the disguise.

Gere graciously accepted the gift and thanked Gombeau, leaving her surprised and in awe when she later discovered that she had encountered the famous actor. She was featured in a local newspaper with Gere and described the encounter as “magical” and “unimaginable.”

This heartwarming story reminds us that the homeless are often unseen and overlooked. Gombeau’s compassion and Gere’s dedication to his role shed light on the importance of recognizing and helping those in need. Let’s all strive to be more observant and extend a helping hand to those who may be struggling around us.

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