Bijou Phillips Faces Kidney Transplant Struggle

Actress has 'no prospective donors' as she races to find a match

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Model and actress Bijou Phillips, 45, is in urgent need of a kidney transplant after complications from a previous transplant in 2017. Phillips has been hospitalized at UCLA Health and started dialysis treatment this week, but her friends and family members have all been incompatible as potential donors so far.

Why it matters

Phillips' health struggles highlight the ongoing challenges many people face in finding suitable organ donors, especially for those with rare or complex medical conditions. Her public plea for help underscores the critical need for more people to consider becoming organ donors.

The details

Phillips has long been open about her kidney issues, having been born with underdeveloped kidneys and spending the first three months of her life on dialysis. She had a successful kidney transplant in 2017, but complications including an infection and rejection led to her current dire situation. Phillips shares an 11-year-old daughter with her ex-husband, convicted rapist Danny Masterson, whom she divorced in 2023.

  • Phillips began dialysis treatment at UCLA Health on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Phillips had a previous kidney transplant in 2017 that was initially successful.

The players

Bijou Phillips

A 45-year-old model and actress who is in urgent need of a kidney transplant after complications from a previous transplant in 2017.

Danny Masterson

Phillips' ex-husband, a former actor who was convicted and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in 2023.

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What they’re saying

“I'm asking as a friend, a sister, an aunt, and, most importantly, a single mother to an incredible and brave daughter. I am in need of a kidney.”

— Bijou Phillips (Instagram)

What’s next

Phillips' family members remain 'optimistic' that a compatible donor will be found in the next couple of months.

The takeaway

Phillips' public plea for a kidney donor highlights the ongoing organ shortage crisis and the critical need for more people to consider becoming living donors, especially for those with complex medical conditions.