Danny Glover reveals Alzheimer’s diagnosis, says there is work to do

Veteran Hollywood actor and activist Danny Glover has disclosed that he has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years, revealing that he received the diagnosis shortly after being honoured with an honorary Oscar in 2022.

The 79-year-old “Lethal Weapon” star, who turns 80 on July 22, made the announcement during an exclusive interview with former NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt that aired on Wednesday, July 1, on the Today show.

Glover said the progressive neurodegenerative disease has gradually affected his movement, speech and memory. “I can live with it in a sense,” he told Holt. “I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.”

Despite the challenges, the four-time Emmy Award nominee remains resolute. “I don’t feel like it’s the end of my life,” Glover said. “There’s work to do.” He emphasised that he remains committed to engaging with younger generations on social justice issues.

Glover’s decision to speak publicly about his diagnosis was driven by a desire to maintain control over his own narrative and to help reduce the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease. His daughter, Mandisa, who appeared alongside him in the interview, explained: “I think it’s really important for him to have control of his own narrative, of his own life story. And the time is now.”

“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 added.

Glover, who has more than 170 acting credits across film and television, is best known for his iconic role as LAPD Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon franchise alongside Mel Gibson, as well as memorable performances in The Color Purple, Places in the Heart, Dreamgirls, and The Royal Tenenbaums, among others.

Beyond his acting career, Glover has been a lifelong activist. He served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme from 1998 to 2004 and was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2004. In 2022, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in recognition of his decades-long global activism for justice and human rights.

Glover, who is now partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise awareness and funds, is one of more than seven million Americans over age 65 living with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia compared to white Americans.

With a strong family behind him, Glover said he feels supported to face the incurable condition. “Absolutely,” he said. “They’ve got my back.”

He remains active, attending events and engaging with his community in his native San Francisco. Reflecting on his career, Glover recalled that his journey into acting began in his early 20s at San Francisco State, encouraged by the famous playwright Amiri Baraka.

“I had never been onstage before,” he said.

Glover and his family believe that by coming forward, they can help others facing similar diagnoses. “I’m still not accepting in my mind all parts of it,” Glover told People magazine. “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.”