Jesse Eisenberg is taking kindness to a whole new level.
The Oscar-nominated actor revealed he’ll be donating one of his kidneys — not to a loved one, but to a complete stranger — this December.
While promoting Now You See Me: Now You Don’t on the Today show, Jesse made the unexpected announcement after being praised for recently joining a blood drive. “I’m actually donating my kidney in six weeks,” he said matter-of-factly. “I really am.”
He added, “I don’t know why. I got bitten by the blood donation bug. I’m doing an altruistic donation in mid-December. I’m so excited to do it.”
Altruistic donations — where donors give organs to recipients they’ve never met — are rare, but life-saving. Jesse explained it’s “essentially risk-free and so needed,” and that “people will realize that it’s a no-brainer if you have the time and the inclination.”
In an interview with Today.com, he broke down the ripple effect of such a gift: “Let’s say person X needs a kidney in Kansas City, and their child or whoever was going to donate isn’t a match, but somehow I am. That person can still get my kidney and hopefully that child of that person still donates their kidney… but it goes to a bank where that person can find a match recipient. It only works if there’s an altruistic donor.”
Even more touching, Jesse revealed altruistic donors can list family members for priority placement should they ever need an organ donation in the future — meaning one good deed can truly save multiple lives.
