Danny Glover, the 79-year-old star of the Lethal Weapon franchise, has publicly disclosed that he has been living with Alzheimer's disease for several years. The actor made the announcement during an interview on The Today Show, revealing that his diagnosis came shortly after receiving an honorary Oscar in 2022.
Glover's Personal Account of Living with Alzheimer's
In the interview, Glover described his experience with the disease, stating, 'I could live with it, in a sense. I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.' He noted that his movements, speech, and memory have slowed, but emphasized the crucial support from his family, who 'have got my back.'
His daughter, Mandisa, explained the importance of Glover speaking on his own terms. 'And the time is now. What better time but now for him to speak for himself? It’s important because people ask questions sometimes, and I don’t want to be a dishonest person and say, “Oh, yeah, everything is all right. It’s all great,”' she said.
Glover's Perspective on Life After Diagnosis
Speaking with People, Glover admitted he is 'still not accepting in my mind all parts of it.' He reflected on moments that validate his memory, saying, 'There are the moments that you keep remembering that validate the fact that you can remember stuff. And there are moments I’ll never forget.' He added, 'I don’t feel like it’s the end of my life. There’s work to do. I still have my daughter, I have friends. I want to just say, your life continues.'
Career Highlights and Humanitarian Work
Glover's career spans nearly 40 years, with over 170 film and television credits. He made his film acting debut in Escape From Alcatraz (1979) but rose to fame in the 1980s as Detective Roger Murtaugh opposite Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon series. He also starred in Places in the Heart, The Color Purple, and Predator 2. His accolades include five Emmy Awards and four Grammy Awards.
Beyond acting, Glover served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme from 1998 to 2004, focusing on global campaigns against poverty, disease, and HIV/AIDS in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In 2004, he was appointed a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
