Jesse Eisenberg is gearing up to do a good deed, and it involves donating his kidney to a stranger.
On Thursday (October 30), the actor shared the news while appearing as a guest on the Today show. "I'm actually donating my kidney in six weeks," he said. "I really am."
When asked what inspired the move, he explained it had something to do with his affinity for donating blood. "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."
An altruistic donation happens when a person donates a kidney to someone the donor doesn't know and who suffers from advanced kidney disease. "It's essentially risk-free and so needed," Eisenberg said. "I think people will realize that it's a no-brainer, if you have the time and the inclination."
Eisenberg said he’s thought about donating for a decade and only recently figured out a way to see his idea through when his friend told him to reach out to NYU Langone Health.
He said that his family will benefit from him being a donor. "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," he said, explaining that his family members will be prioritized on the National Kidney Registry's family voucher program.
Eisenberg’s next film, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, arrives on November 14. It also stars Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Woddy Harrelson and more.
According to a synopsis, the third installment of the blockbuster magic series will see the Four Horsemen and a new generation of illusionists try to bring down a worldwide criminal network.
