NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (UPI) — Actor Richard Gere took to Time Out of Mind co-star Jena Malone’s Facebook page, to address a fake quote allegedly written by him, that went viral early September.
The viral photo shows Gere dressed up as a homeless man on the streets of New York City, supposedly captioned by Gere’s alleged heartfelt story of his experience.
“When I went undercover in New York City as a homeless man, no one noticed me. I felt what it was like to be a homeless man. People would just past by me and look at me in disgrace. Only one lady was kind enough to give me some food. It was an experience I’ll never forget. So many times we forget how blessed we are. We should not take that for granted. And if we can help someone in need, we should. That’s why after I was done, I walked around and gave food and $100 to every homeless person I saw. They cried and were so grateful. Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Gere revealed Monday that the picture was a still from the film, released Sept. 11, and that he did not write that post or go undercover as a homeless man.
He used Malone’s Facebook since he is not active on social media.
Gere said he was “completely surprised” that his picture had earned more than a million likes and nearly half a million shares, but that the story behind the picture was “somewhat fictional.”
The actor said the image’s popularity has inspired him to find a way for people to come “together to make something good and meaningful happen for our homeless brothers and sisters.”
Gere will host a live question and answer session via Jena Malone’s Facebook page on Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. He will be accompanied by the film’s director, Oren Moverman.
“We’re excited to see what happens,” Gere wrote. “PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS AND SHARE YOUR STORIES.”
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