Zach Galifianakis attended the Los Angeles premiere of The Hangover III without a woman he usually brings, named Elizabeth “Mimi” Haist, who has been his date for previous movie premieres as well. But who is she?
The actor met her in 1994 when she was working at a Laundromat in L.A. and survived off of the tips she received there. Galifianakis was just started out in his career and he eventually stopped going there. However, when he found out Haist had become homeless years later, he set her up in a one-bedroom apartment and pays her rent. She occasionally goes with him to red carpet events.
Galifianakis isn’t the only Hollywood actor who helps Haist, 87, Renee Zellweger also helps her out, making sure she has groceries.
Haist told The New York Daily News that Zellweger is a “very sweet lady” and Galifianakis is “amazing.”
“If he’s in town, he takes me. Otherwise he lets me take a friend. I dress up nice and a friend helps me with my makeup,” she says of his movie premieres. “It’s fun, not something I’ve ever dreamed I’d experience. The limo takes me home afterwards.”
“All the fans were taking photos and I waved at them, I said, ‘They don’t know who I am!’ she continued of past premieres of The Campaign and Hangover II, TIME reports.
“Afterwards, they have a party at somewhere close by and you meet the stars. I drink lemon drop martinis with Grey Goose vodka.”
Haist didn't make Hangover III premiere though, as a rep for Warner Bros. told E! Online she wasn't going with him and it wasn't clear if she would go on her own.
image: NBCUniversal