A U.S. actor says is living like a beggar surviving on ‘monkey nuts and bananas’ after flying to India for liposuction during the coronavirus pandemic – but getting stranded when borders closed.
Scorpion King star Geoffrey Giuliano, 66, took his son Eden 12, to Jaipur on March 3 for a medical tourism holiday, showing the youngster the Taj Mahal while he visited several doctors.
Geoffrey, originally from New York, had a liposuction consultation and planned to have dental work, which he hoped would boost his acting career.
However, they were stuck when Indian authorities suddenly closed the country’s borders on March 18, cancelling international flights.
The pair, who live together in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, were stranded when Thai authorities also banned incoming flights from March 23.
Geoffrey says he is now living as an ”Indian beggar”, surviving on the goodwill of a hostel and eating donated ”monkey nuts and bananas”. He now faces being evicted after running up an unpaid bill and forced onto the streets.
The actor and author, who has written 32 books on The Beatles, said: ”When I came I brought 2,000 dollars, to get some dental work done but didn’t have it because of the virus.
”I thought that 2,000 dollars would be enough for us for a couple of weeks or so in India. Then India shut down instantly and didn’t give us enough time to get out of the country.
”Now we don’t have any money and stupidly I didn’t bring my ATM card, which sounds highly suspicious, but I just didn’t think I needed it for a couple of weeks.”
Geoffrey said he could take a repatriation flight to the U.S. but his son, who is a Thai national from a previous relationship the actor had with a local woman, would not be allowed into the country.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey would not be allowed to return to Thailand, as the government is only repatriating Thai citizens.
The awkward situation means that father and son would be separated and Eden would not have anybody to care for him.
Geoffrey added: ”Some people will blame me for being stupid or say I’m a terrible person, highly irresponsible and not a good father. But I love my son and I’m here to take care of him and I need help.”
”Asking for help is hard thing to say for someone like me who has achieved so much in life.
”Circumstance has put me on the Titanic and I need a lifeboat.’’
