French actor Pierre Niney auctions used tissue for charity
French actor Pierre Niney has sparked surprise after putting a used tissue up for auction, with bids climbing as high as €100,000 for charity.
In an unusual fundraising stunt, French actor Pierre Niney has put a used tissue up for auction and bids have already soared to €100,000.
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The actor, known in France for playing Yves Saint Laurent and Edmond Dantès, says all proceeds will be donated to a “really good charity.”
The stunt began as a joke during an interview with French content creator Antton Racca.
Niney recalled the story of American actress Scarlett Johansson selling a used tissue in 2008 for around €4,500.
On camera, he blew his nose, placed the tissue in a sealed plastic bag, and announced he would put it up for auction.
Originally listed on eBay with a reserve price of just €1, the tissue quickly attracted bids.
By 28 February, the price had reached €10,000 — and by 1 February, it had skyrocketed to €100,000.
Pierre Niney, 36, is a household name in France, though less known in the English-speaking world.
He trained at the Comédie-Française and gained fame in 2014 playing the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, a role that earned him a César Award.
Since then, he has appeared in hit films including Un homme idéal, Frantz, OSS 117: Alerte rouge en Afrique noire, and most recently starred as Edmond Dantès in the 2024 adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Niney is currently promoting his latest film, Le Gourou (The Guru), in which he plays a charismatic but manipulative self-help guru.
The tissue auction adds a bizarre — but charitable — twist to his public profile.