In a surprising turn of events, actor Richard Gere was mistaken for a homeless man while filming his movie “Time Out of Mind” in New York. The 74-year-old actor, known for his roles in films like “Pretty Woman” and “An Officer and a Gentleman,” was dressed in tattered clothing and sat on the street, blending in seamlessly with the surroundings.
Gere’s character in the movie was a mentally ill man living on the streets after being evicted from his apartment. To get into character, Gere spent hours on the street, interacting with passersby who had no idea they were walking past a Hollywood star.
In an interview, Gere recalled the experience, saying, “I was out there for the very first shot, 40 minutes plus – no one made eye contact with me, I was in character.” He added, “If I had been Richard Gere there, I wouldn’t have lasted 30 seconds.”
The film’s director, Oren Moverman, noted that Gere’s disguise was so convincing that no one recognized him, and no one even gave him any money. This, Moverman said, proved the point of the movie: that the homeless are often invisible to us.
After the film’s release, Gere took to social media to share his experience, posting on his co-star Jenna Malone’s account. He wrote, “Hi, Richard Gere here. I was completely surprised to find that last week someone posted a photo of me on a Facebook fan page as a homeless man on the streets of New York…”
