Danny Glover has disclosed that he has been battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
The 79-year-old actor shared the news during an exclusive interview with NBC on the Today programme, which aired on Wednesday morning.
The Hollywood star, best known for portraying Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon franchise, received his diagnosis shortly after being honoured with an honorary Academy Award in 2022.
“I could live with it, in a sense,” Mr Glover told The Today Show viewers during the emotional conversation. “I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.”
Danny Glover shared the news on The Today Show
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The actor appeared alongside family members, including his daughter Mandisa, as he opened up publicly about his health for the first time.
Mr Glover revealed that the degenerative condition has slowed his movements and affected his memory, though he remains determined to stay active.
The veteran performer continues to engage regularly with his community in San Francisco, where he grew up.
Despite the challenges posed by his diagnosis, Glover expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of those closest to him. “They’ve got my back,” he said of his family during the broadcast.
Danny Glover revealed the diagnosis on the Today Show
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NBC
The actor has also begun working with the Alzheimer’s Association following his diagnosis.
In a separate interview with People magazine, Mr Glover admitted he was “still not accepting in my mind all parts of it” but maintained an optimistic outlook.
“I don’t feel like it’s the end of my life. There’s work to do,” he said.
Mandisa explained that the family chose to speak publicly because they wanted her father to maintain control over his own story.
Danny Glover in 2023
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“That’s really important. And the time is now. What better time but now for him to speak for himself?” she said.
The decision was also driven by a desire to challenge the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and raise awareness about the condition.
“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,'” Mandisa added.
Mr Glover himself acknowledged that going public was partly about recognising that millions of others are affected by the same illness.
Danny Glover gave a candid interview to NBC
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NBC
His brother Martin Glover also participated in the interview, speaking about supporting his sibling and collaborating with the Alzheimer’s Association.
Mr Glover’s career in film and television spans nearly four decades, with more than 170 credits to his name.
He made his cinema debut in Escape From Alcatraz in 1979 before achieving stardom in the 1980s opposite Mel Gibson in the Lethal Weapon series.
His other notable roles include appearances in Places In The Heart, which he has described as his favourite film, The Colour Purple, and Predator 2.
Throughout his career, he has received five Emmy nominations and four Grammy nominations.
Beyond acting, Mr Glover has dedicated himself to humanitarian causes.
He served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme between 1998 and 2004, focusing on poverty reduction and HIV/Aids awareness across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. He was subsequently appointed as a Unicef goodwill ambassador in 2004.
