Jesse Eisenberg has opened up about his decision to donate a kidney, revealing the reasons behind the life-changing act.
The 42-year-old American actor, best known for his roles in The Social Network and Zombieland, is set to undergo the procedure later this year.
The need for kidney donors is staggering; over 101,000 Americans are waiting for a transplant, but only about 17,000 will receive one in a given year, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
Meanwhile in the UK, there were 6,557 patients on the active transplant list waiting for a kidney transplant at the end of March 2025.
Advert
The Oscar nominee spoke about his decision in an interview on Thursday (30 October) on the Today show.
“I’m actually donating my kidney in six weeks. I really am,” he shared.
The hosts were shocked by the news, and Jesse then explained why he’s doing such a selfless act.
“I don’t know why. I got bitten by the blood donation bug", he shared. "I’m doing an altruistic donation [in] mid-December. I’m so excited to do it.”
People who choose to donate a kidney to someone they don’t personally know are called non-directed kidney donors, since their donation isn’t intended for a specific family member or friend in need. According to RWJ Barnabas Health, this type of act of generosity is known as an altruistic donation — when a healthy, living individual gives a kidney to a stranger with advanced kidney disease.
The Now You See Me star explained: “Let’s say person X needs a kidney in Kansas City, (and) their child or whoever was going to donate to them is, for whatever set of reasons, not a match, but somehow I am.
“That person can still get my kidney and hopefully that child of that person still donates their kidney, right? But it goes to a bank where that person can find a match recipient, but it only works if there is basically an altruistic donor.
"It's essentially risk-free and so needed," Jesse said in a separate interview. "I think people will realise that it's a no-brainer, if you have the time and the inclination."
While Eisenberg’s decision involves donating to a stranger, he’s not the first celebrity to make headlines for such a generous act.
In 2017, actor Francia Raisa donated one of her kidneys to her close friend, singer and actress Selena Gomez, who was battling lupus-related kidney failure. Raisa’s was a directed donation, given to someone she personally knew, whereas Eisenberg’s will go to an anonymous recipient in need.
Gregory Robinson