Zach Galifianakis’ Date to Hangover 3 Premiere: Woman He Saved from Homelessness

[cali]

This is a really nice story.

When Zach Galifianakis hit the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of The Hangover 3 Monday night, he brought along a formerly homeless woman named Elizabeth “Mimi” Haist. And she’s no newcomer to the red carpet, either. She has been Galifianakis’ date to The Campaign and The Hangover 2 premieres as well, but no one knew who was the tiny woman on the actor’s arm. “All the fans were taking photos and I waved at them, I said, ‘They don’t know who I am!’” Haist told the Daily News of her prior premiere experiences. So who is she?

Galifianakis and Haist have been friends for almost 20 years, according to the Daily News. Galifianakis met Haist at the Fox Laundry when he was just starting out in Hollywood back in 1994. He befriended Haist at his local laundromat where she volunteered, surviving on the tips patrons gave her. Eventually Galifianakis stopped going to the laundromat, but two years ago, when Galifianakis found out that Haist had become homeless, he tracked her down and set her up in a one-bedroom apartment where he pays the rent and utilities. He also recruited his friend, actress Renee Zellweger, to the cause, and Zellweger outfitted the woman’s apartment with furniture and makes sure Haist’s fridge is always stocked with food.

Since then Haist has been escorting Galifianakis to red carpet events and enjoying herself. “I dress up nice and a friend helps me with my makeup. It’s fun, not something I’ve ever dreamed I’d experience. The limo takes me home afterwards,” Haist told the Daily News.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/21/zach-galifianakis-date-to-hangover-3-premiere-woman-he-saved-from-homelessness/#ixzz2TwC8CtSH

[Cooley Hurd]

1. By every metric, Zach is a good dude...

[BeyondGeography]

2. What better way to share one's success?

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Zach is relatively 'new' to me

but this story definitely elevates him in my eyes.

[Worried senior]

4. I've only recently learned who he is

but in my book he is truly a good man.

[heaven05]

5. good

hearted person.

[Rex]

6. I always knew the Snuggler had a heart of gold.

nt.

[unc70]

7. Knew his father and uncles

Knew the Galifinakis family back in the 1960's in Chapel Hill. Knew Zach's uncles better than his father because they stayed in the area longer. His uncle Nick was the Congressman representing Durham and Chapel Hill. A progressive Democrat.

[cui bono]

8. Colin Farrell changed a homeless man's life by helping him out too.

He originally met the guy when he was filming on location and there was a contest on a radio station offering a reward for anyone who could bring Colin to the studio, so Colin saw a homeless guy and took him to the studio to claim the reward.

Then, as I recall from what I read at the time, the homeless guy showed up where Colin was doing whatever, and I think Colin remembered him and told him to get in the limo with him, then took him shopping and set him up with an apartment for a year.

On Tuesday, Farrell took the man on a $2,100 shopping spree. The actor, who told CTV's eTalk that the homeless man is "a friend of mine," walked into a Toronto store with his arm around his pal. He then bought the man, whose street name is "Stress," waterproof jackets, pants, boots, and even socks.

<snip>

Mott told CTV Newsnet that "they seemed like they were really good friends and they were best buddies, like they've known each other for years."

Mott says Farrell made it absolutely clear: "Get him what he wants, get him the best."

But that's not all. Farrell also tried to help "Stress" get off the street. Following the shopping spree, the two friends walked to a bank machine where Farrell withdrew $830. Farrell then handed "Stress" the money so he could rent a room to get off the street. It would help the man cover first and last month's rent.

Farrell met "Stress" four years ago when he was in Toronto shooting a movie. Back then, he helped "Stress" win a $2,000 prize. A Toronto-area radio station had offered the prize to anyone who brought the actor to their studio. Farrell heard about the contest and found "Stress" on the street and took him to the station to claim the prize.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/colin-farrell-helps-toronto-homeless-man-1.256340

Update showing they still keep in touch, shows text from Colin saying he'll call him soon: