Bijou Phillips, the 45-year-old actor, singer, and model, is once again facing a harrowing health crisis. As of February 11, 2026, Phillips is hospitalized at CORE Kidney at UCLA Health, where she undergoes dialysis while urgently seeking a second kidney transplant. Her story—marked by resilience, celebrity, and the unyielding challenges of chronic illness—has gripped the public, especially after she took to social media to issue a heartfelt plea for a living donor.
Phillips's health struggles began at birth. According to Page Six and Variety, she was born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent her first three months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), relying on dialysis to survive. This early battle set the stage for a lifelong fight against kidney disease, one that would include years on transplant waiting lists, dietary changes, and multiple hospitalizations.
In 2012, Phillips was officially placed on the kidney transplant list. She adopted a vegan diet in an effort to manage her symptoms, but as her representative explained to Page Six, "Eventually [it] wasn’t enough and she’s been privately having dialysis." The situation reached a critical point in February 2017, when Phillips was rushed to a Santa Barbara hospital with a fever and blood infection. Her then-husband, actor Danny Masterson, was by her side throughout the ordeal.
That April, Phillips received her first kidney transplant from a friend—a moment she described as "a second chance at life." In a moving Instagram post at the time, she wrote, "I have been waiting for this day to come for a long time. Dialysis has been a blessing, and also extremely hard, I got an infection and am on my second catheter. This is major surgery, FSGS is scary, but I’m soooo intensely Grateful for my husband, my daughter, our Family!"
Masterson echoed her gratitude, posting, "My lady has been slowing [sic] dying for the past 7 years of an incurable kidney disease. She was given the gift of an encore by a tall angel. Our daughter will have a mother. We do not take lightly how incredibly fortunate we are. 100% successful transplant." For eight years, that kidney allowed Phillips to be present for her daughter, Fianna Francis, now 11 years old. But as she revealed in her recent social media appeal, the journey was far from over.
"In 2017, I received the incredible gift of a kidney from a dear friend," Phillips wrote on February 11, 2026. "That transplant gave me 8 precious years to be a mother to my daughter—but I have had many complications since, including the BK virus which led to both a cellular and antibody rejection." The human polyomavirus 1, or BK virus, is a known risk for transplant recipients and can cause the immune system to attack the new organ. As a result, Phillips is once again in need of a transplant, and the clock is ticking.
Her representative confirmed to Variety that she is in "stable but fragile condition," emphasizing, "time is of the essence" as the search for a suitable donor intensifies. Phillips’s physician, Dr. Anjay Rastogi, is overseeing her care at UCLA Health. She is currently receiving dialysis to manage her kidney failure, but this is only a temporary measure.
Phillips’s plea for help is deeply personal. Sharing photos of herself with Fianna—one from her daughter’s infancy and another of the two sharing a kiss—she wrote, "I’m asking as a friend, a sister, an aunt, and, most importantly, a single mother to an incredible and brave daughter." She added, "Please help me find a living donor so that I can have more time with my daughter, family, and friends." The message resonated widely, with fans and followers expressing support and sharing information about how to become a donor.
The urgency of her situation is heightened by personal upheaval in recent years. Phillips and Masterson, who were married for nearly 12 years, separated in 2023 after Masterson was convicted of rape and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. Phillips filed for divorce shortly after the conviction, citing irreconcilable differences, and sought spousal support while requesting that any financial support for Masterson be denied. As reported by E! News, Phillips has since filed a petition to legally change her daughter’s last name from Masterson to Phillips, underscoring her desire to move forward as a single parent.
Despite her health challenges and the emotional toll of her divorce, Phillips maintains a sense of gratitude and determination. In an interview with E! News, she said, "I'm doing good," and described herself and Fianna as a "great little team." Her strength is evident not only in her public appeals but also in her commitment to her daughter’s well-being and her willingness to share her story in hopes of finding a donor.
Phillips’s career, though now overshadowed by her health battles, has been notable. She is the daughter of the late John Phillips (of The Mamas & the Papas) and actress Genevieve Waite, and her half-siblings include Mackenzie Phillips and Chynna Phillips. Bijou made her acting debut in 1999 and went on to appear in films such as Almost Famous, Bully, and Hostel: Part II, as well as the TV series Raising Hope. She also released a music album, I’d Rather Eat Glass, produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads fame. In her youth, she was a fixture in the tabloids, socializing with celebrities like Paris Hilton and dating notable musicians.
Yet, it is her ongoing fight against kidney disease that now defines her public narrative. As Variety and TMZ have reported, Phillips’s case is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by thousands of Americans awaiting organ transplants. The wait can be agonizingly long, and complications like infections or rejection are all too common. Phillips’s story also highlights the importance of living donors, who can often provide a better match and a quicker path to recovery than deceased donors.
For now, Phillips remains in the hospital, hoping that her appeal will reach someone willing and able to help. Her message is clear and urgent: "I need help finding a kidney." As she continues her search, the outpouring of support from fans, friends, and the broader kidney disease community offers some comfort—and perhaps, with luck, a lifeline.
As one chapter closes and another opens, Phillips’s journey is a testament to resilience, the power of community, and a mother’s unwavering love for her child. Her fight is far from over, but she faces it with courage, candor, and hope for one more chance at life.