Jesse Eisenberg has disclosed that he will be donating one of his kidneys to an unknown individual in the coming weeks. In a recent interview, the 42-year-old star shared his enthusiasm about the upcoming procedure, while noting that his driving force wasn't entirely clear.
“I’m not entirely sure why,” he remarked. “I developed a passion for blood donation. I’m doing an altruistic donation [in] mid-December. I’m so excited to do it.”
An Idea Years in the Making
The actor explained that he first considered organ donation while still alive around a decade ago, but only recently initiated the donation process. “The procedure is largely safe and critically necessary,” he emphasized. “I believe many will see it as an obvious choice, provided they have the time and willingness.”
Understanding Donor-Recipient Matching
He further detailed the compatibility process for organ donors and those in need. “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?
Celebrity Organ Donations
Celebrities who are known to have donated organs while still living are thin on the ground, with notable posthumous donors including Natasha Richardson, Jerry Orbach, and Dr Rajkumar. Back in 2017, singer and actress Selena Gomez received a kidney from her close friend, Francia Raisa. Other recipients have included Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Neil Simon, and Tina Turner.
The Critical Need for Donors
More than 100,000 people are currently on the transplant list in the US, and approximately 12 people die daily due to the lack of available organs. In the UK, 8,186 people – a record number – are currently on the list, with a further almost 4,000 temporarily suspended but still in need of a transplant. Meanwhile, donor numbers in the UK are falling, and living donors make up about 40% of all donations, mostly kidneys.
Personal Influences and Activism
Eisenberg attributes much of his idealism and activism to his wife, Anna Strout, an educator and charity advocate. Her late mother operated a shelter for domestic violence survivors, which Eisenberg and his wife have actively supported.
Latest Professional Achievements
Earlier this year, Eisenberg received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for A Real Pain, a film that also earned Kieran Culkin the best supporting actor award. He is now promoting the third installment of the Now You See Me magical heist series.
Last week, Eisenberg clarified that his absence from The Social Network sequel was unrelated to the script, penned by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote the original. Jeremy Strong will assume the role of Mark Zuckerberg in the new film.
