Richard Gere touched by kindness of New York tourist

Richard Gere was so moved by the kindness of a female passer-by who handed him food after mistaking the actor for a real-life homeless man last week (22Apr14), he branded her an "angel", according to director Oren Moverman.

The unshaven Pretty Woman star was filming, dressed in shabby clothes for his role as a tramp in new movie Time Out of Mind, when he was approached by a Good Samaritan who handed him some leftover pizza as he sifted through a trash can near New York's Grand Central Terminal.

Gere remained in character as he took the food and Moverman reveals he was really touched by the sweet gesture.

The filmmaker tells the New York Post, "He was very touched... He said, 'Ya know, she was like an angel.' He was in character, so obviously he was feeling like a guy who lives on the street. When she came over, he said he felt like an angel gave him a gift."

The woman has since been identified as French tourist Karine Gombeau, who had no idea the 'homeless' guy was actually a Hollywood superstar.

She was only made aware of his identity two days after the encounter, when a staff member at the hotel she was staying in presented her with a copy of the New York Post with a photo of her handing over the food printed inside.

She says, "It was magical... It's crazy, this story. It's unimaginable that something like this could happen."