A Homeless Man Asked Jodie Foster for $10,000—Her Response Stunned Everyone
On a crisp April evening in 2025, Jodie Foster, the two-time Academy Award winner known for her roles in The Silence of the Lambs and Taxi Driver, stepped out of a Manhattan theater after a rehearsal for a new directorial project. Dressed in a simple black blazer and jeans, her unassuming presence belied her Hollywood stature. As she walked toward a nearby café to meet her wife, Alexandra Hedison, a man approached her on the bustling sidewalk. He was disheveled, his coat tattered, but his eyes carried a quiet determination. “Ms. Foster, I know this sounds crazy, but I need $10,000 to change my life,” he said, his voice steady but desperate. What happened next left onlookers speechless and sparked a viral moment that reminded the world of Foster’s grace and humanity.
The man, later identified as Marcus Tate, a 42-year-old former teacher who had fallen on hard times, wasn’t asking for a handout in the traditional sense. He explained that he needed the money to enroll in a coding bootcamp, a program he believed could lift him out of homelessness and into a stable career. Passersby paused, some whispering, others skeptical, expecting Foster to brush him off. After all, $10,000 was no small sum, and celebrity encounters with strangers often end with polite refusals. But Foster, known for her intelligence and empathy, did something extraordinary—she listened.
Instead of dismissing Marcus, Foster gestured toward a nearby bench. “Tell me your story,” she said, her voice calm and inviting, much like the steady presence she displayed when addressing a server’s prejudice at Le Bernardin earlier that year. Marcus, initially stunned, sat down and shared his journey: a dedicated high school teacher laid off during budget cuts, a spiral into debt, and a battle with depression that left him on the streets. He’d heard about a local coding bootcamp with a 90% job placement rate but couldn’t afford the tuition. “I’m not asking for pity,” he said. “I just need a chance to start over.”
The crowd grew, phones quietly recording as Foster leaned in, her focus unwavering. She asked questions about the program, Marcus’s teaching experience, and his dreams. “I used to help kids believe in themselves,” he said, his voice cracking. “I want to do that again, maybe through tech.” Foster nodded, her eyes reflecting a deep understanding of struggle—perhaps recalling her own challenges as a young actress navigating fame and the trauma of being stalked in the 1980s. Then, in a moment that silenced the onlookers, she pulled out her phone and made a call.
“I’d like to sponsor someone for your coding bootcamp,” she said to the person on the line, later revealed to be the director of a New York-based tech education nonprofit. “His name is Marcus Tate, and I’ll cover the full $10,000 tuition.” Gasps rippled through the crowd. Marcus froze, tears welling in his eyes. “Why would you do this for me?” he asked. Foster’s response was simple yet profound: “Because everyone deserves a second chance, and I believe in you.” The words, delivered with the same grace she showed when addressing social issues at Yale in 2018, resonated deeply, turning a fleeting encounter into a life-changing moment.
But Foster’s kindness didn’t stop there. Recognizing that Marcus needed more than just tuition to succeed, she connected him with a local shelter that partnered with the bootcamp, ensuring he had a place to stay and access to resources during the program. She also introduced him to a friend in the education sector, offering to write a recommendation letter based on their conversation. “You’re a teacher at heart,” she told him. “Tech is just a new classroom.” By the time Foster left for her café meeting, the crowd was applauding, and Marcus was clutching a notebook where he’d jotted down the nonprofit’s contact details, his hands trembling with hope.
The story spread like wildfire on X, with videos of the encounter amassing millions of views. “Jodie Foster just gave a homeless man $10,000 for a coding bootcamp—talk about class!” one user wrote. Another posted, “She didn’t just give money; she gave him dignity. Jodie’s a real one.” The moment resonated because it echoed Foster’s quiet advocacy for marginalized communities, like her support for the Time’s Up movement and her heartfelt dedication to her wife and sons at the 2024 Emmys. Unlike flashy celebrity gestures, Foster’s actions were deliberate, rooted in listening and empowering someone to rebuild their life.
Marcus enrolled in the bootcamp the following week, and early reports from the nonprofit confirmed he was excelling, already mentoring younger students with his teaching background. The shelter, inspired by Foster’s involvement, launched a scholarship fund in her name to support others like Marcus, aiming to help at least 10 more people enter tech programs by the end of 2025. Foster, true to her private nature, declined interviews about the incident, but a statement from her publicist read: “Jodie believes in the power of opportunity. She’s grateful to have played a small part in Marcus’s journey.”
The ripple effect of Foster’s response extended beyond Marcus. Onlookers who witnessed the exchange shared their own stories of kindness on social media, sparking a local movement to support homeless individuals with job training. A New York café owner, moved by the viral video, offered free coffee to shelter residents attending vocational programs. Foster’s act also prompted discussions about systemic issues, with advocates citing the 187,000 homeless Californians and the need for more opportunities like the one Marcus received.
As Marcus progresses through his bootcamp, he keeps a photo of that April evening on his phone—a blurry shot of Foster smiling as they talked on the bench. “She saw me when I felt invisible,” he told a local reporter. For Foster, the moment was a reflection of her belief that compassion can bridge divides, a lesson she’s lived through decades in the spotlight. In a world quick to judge, her response to a $10,000 request wasn’t just stunning—it was a powerful reminder that listening, believing, and acting with purpose can change lives, one story at a time.