Woman gives pizza to homeless man in New York without realizing he's a Hollywood legend

For the family, their kind gesture and this unexpected moment became a special memory that they will never forget.

PUBLISHED 3 DAYS AGO

Representative image of a young woman giving money to homeless man. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Halfpoint)

Random acts of kindness without expecting anything in return aren't just appreciated in the age of social media but can also turn out to be unexpectedly rewarding. In a touching moment on the streets of New York, a woman unknowingly showed kindness to Hollywood star Richard Gere. Karine Valnais Gombeau, a French visitor, noticed a man looking through a trash bin next to Grand Central Station while holding a beer in a brown paper bag. She assumed that the man was homeless and offered him a pizza, not realizing that he was Hollywood icon Richard Gere, who was filming a movie at that moment. However, the celebrity appreciated her kindness.

A representative image of a homeless man. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Halfpoint)

Gere asked the woman, “What’s in the bag?” As reported by the New York Post, the woman recalled, “I tried to tell him in English, but it came out half in French. I said, ‘Je suis désolée [I am sorry], but the pizza is cold.’” She added, “He said, ‘Thank you so much. God bless you.’” Happy with their small act of kindness, the family went back to the Salisbury Hotel, unaware of the surprise waiting for them. A few days later, as they were about to check out, a hotel staff member handed them a copy of the New York Post, which included a photo of Gombeau offering pizza to a man she thought was homeless. Only now did she realize that man was none other than Gere.

The woman said, “It was magical... It’s crazy, this story. It’s unimaginable that something like this could happen. I think he’s very handsome, even at his age. ‘Pretty Woman’ was not my favorite movie, but I really loved ‘Chicago.’” Gombeau, who works in the tourism industry, shared that seeing homeless people in New York deeply saddened her. She said, “It leaves me really sad to know we waste food and they have nothing. It really moves me.” She also praised the popular actor and said, "He is a good actor. It's an amazing experience. It's crazy."

As reported by ABC News, Gombeau also claimed, "It is a great story. A memory of New York I will keep for a very long time. For a first time in New York, I could not have wished for better." Before crossing paths with Gere, the woman's husband had been filming the Grand Central station with his handheld camera. They had no idea they had unknowingly walked onto the set of his new movie, "Time Out of Mind." Gombeau said, “People came from all over the station and told my husband to stop filming. People came out of the subways. It was very confusing.” Such incidents are rather common, but their kind gesture became a special memory they will never forget.

Meanwhile, Gere isn’t the only star mistaken for being homeless. Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson's daughter, once shared a similar experience on X (formerly Twitter). While waiting on set for a shoot, dressed casually in baggy green pants and a graphic t-shirt, she was approached by a crew member who told her that homeless people weren’t allowed in the area. Amused by the confusion, Paris later posted a photo and explained that she was just waiting to get her hair and makeup done, as reported by E! News.