Jesse Eisenberg to donate kidney to a stranger; says, ‘I’m doing an altruistic donation in mid-December’

Jesse Eisenberg

Oscar-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg has revealed that he is preparing to make one of the most selfless gestures possible. He is donating one of his kidneys to a stranger. The Now You See Me: Now You Don’t star shared the news during a live appearance on TODAY show.

“I’m actually donating my kidney in six weeks,” Jesse, 42, announced. “I really am.”

Known for his roles in The Social Network and Zombieland, Jesse Eisenberg explained that the idea came from his long-standing passion for blood donation. “I don’t know why. I got bitten by the blood donation bug,” he said. “I’m doing an altruistic donation in mid-December. I’m so excited to do it.”

An altruistic or non-directed kidney donation means giving an organ to someone the donor does not know — a stranger with advanced kidney disease who is matched through a donor registry. “It’s essentially risk-free and so needed,” Jesse Eisenberg said in a separate interview with TODAY.com. “I think people will realise that it’s a no-brainer if you have the time and the inclination.”

The actor also broke down the ripple effect of such donations. “Let’s say person X needs a kidney in Kansas City and their child can’t donate, but somehow I’m a match,” he explained. “That person can still get my kidney, and hopefully that child still donates theirs — it all links through a donor chain, but it only works if there’s an altruistic donor.”

Jesse Eisenberg said the thought had been with him for nearly a decade. After a conversation with a doctor friend, he finally connected with NYU Langone Health, where he underwent medical testing and is now scheduled for surgery in December.

To ease fears of future need, Jesse Eisenberg added that donors can list family members as priority recipients through the National Kidney Registry’s family voucher program. “So it’s risk-free for my family, as well,” he said.

As for why he feels compelled to give, Jesse summed it up with characteristic humour, “I just have so much blood in me, and I feel like I should spill it.”

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t releases on November 14, 2025.