Jesse Eisenberg Announces Kidney Donation: A ‘No-Brainer’ Act of Kindness

In a surprising and inspiring revelation, actor Jesse Eisenberg has announced that he will be donating one of his kidneys to a complete stranger in mid-December. The 42-year-old Oscar-nominated star, best known for his roles in films like The Social Network and the Now You See Me franchise, shared the news during an appearance on the Today show on October 30, 2025, while promoting his upcoming movie Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.

Eisenberg’s decision comes as an extension of his longstanding habit of donating blood, which he humorously described as having “bitten” him. “I just have so much blood in me, and I feel like I should spill it,” he quipped on the show. He explained that he first considered kidney donation about a decade ago but moved forward after participating in a blood drive sponsored by the Today show over the summer. The actor, a father to an 8-year-old son named Banner, emphasized the procedure’s safety and minimal risk, calling it “essentially risk-free and so needed.” In fact, he views it as a “no-brainer” for anyone with the time and inclination.

This type of donation, known as altruistic or non-directed living donation, means the kidney will go to a medically compatible recipient whom Eisenberg has never met. Such acts are relatively rare; according to the National Kidney Registry, around 90,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a kidney transplant, but only about 6,000 kidneys are donated each year, with fewer than 5% being altruistic donations like Eisenberg’s. Eisenberg highlighted how his donation could spark a chain reaction through paired exchanges: “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 will still donate their kidney.”

One key factor in his decision was the National Kidney Registry’s family voucher program, which allows donors to prioritize loved ones for future transplants if needed. “The way it works now is you can put a list of whoever you would like to be the first to be at the top of the list,” Eisenberg explained, noting that this makes the process “risk-free” for his family. Recovery from the surgery is typically swift, with most donors returning to normal activities within 2 to 4 weeks, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Eisenberg’s announcement has sparked admiration and discussions about organ donation, with Today host Craig Melvin calling it “amazing” and a “big jump” from blood donation. As he prepares for the procedure, the actor expressed genuine excitement: “I’m actually donating my kidney in six weeks. I really am.” His story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact one person can make, potentially encouraging others to consider similar acts of generosity.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, starring Eisenberg alongside Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, and Dave Franco, is set to hit theaters on November 14, 2025.