Danny Glover is speaking publicly for the first time about living with Alzheimer’s disease.
The 79-year-old actor and activist opened up in a new interview with People, sharing that he was diagnosed in 2023 after his family began noticing changes in his memory.
Glover, who turns 80 on July 22, said he is still processing the diagnosis while continuing to focus on family, work and service.
The Lethal Weapon star also discussed the diagnosis with NBC’s Lester Holt on Today, where he spoke alongside his daughter, Mandisa Glover.
Glover Said He Is Still Processing the Diagnosis
Glover told People that he has not fully accepted every part of the diagnosis. He described moments when remembering something helps him feel grounded, along with other moments that show how much has changed.
Mandisa said she first noticed a shift around 2022. She told People that her father had always been able to recall detailed memories from decades earlier, but then familiar stories began to lose pieces.
Glover was diagnosed in 2023, according to People. The Associated Press also reported that Glover revealed he has been living with Alzheimer’s disease during interviews with People and Today.
His Family Wanted Him to Tell His Own Story
Entertainment Weekly reported that Glover said on Today he can live with the diagnosis “in a sense,” while acknowledging that things will change as the disease advances.
Mandisa said it was important for her father to tell his story while he could still take ownership of it. “It’s important that he tells his story, that he has ownership of his life,” she said in the Today interview, according to NBC’s Instagram post.
People reported that Glover’s support system includes Mandisa, his younger brother Marty and caregivers who help him at home in San Francisco. His family said his mind is often clearest in the morning, and they plan to keep working with his doctor on treatment options.
His Career and Activism Remain Part of the Story
Glover’s film career stretches from Places in the Heart and The Color Purple to Lethal Weapon, Angels in the Outfield, Beloved, Saw and The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
The Associated Press reported that Glover is a four-time Emmy nominee and received an honorary Oscar in 2022. The Academy previously announced that Glover would receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his activism and humanitarian work.
People reported that Glover remains connected to his San Francisco home, his family and the causes that have shaped much of his public life.
He Wants People to Know Life Continues
Marty told People that the changes have been emotional to watch, while Mandisa said the family is trying to live each day as it comes.
Glover said he still has his daughter and friends. People quoted him saying, “I want to say, your life continues.”
He also told People there is still work to do. His diagnosis is now public, but his family, home, memories and activism remain part of the life he is living now.