Danny Glover Reveals Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Legendary actor Danny Glover is opening up about one of the most personal battles of his life.

In an exclusive interview with NBC’s TODAY, the 79-year-old actor revealed that he has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Joined by his family in a conversation with TODAY host Lester Holt, Glover said he decided to share his diagnosis now to take control of his own story and help break the stigma surrounding the disease.

“I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing,” Glover said. Still, he remains optimistic because of the support system around him. “Absolutely,” he said when asked if his family has his back. “They’ve got my back.”

Alzheimer’s affects more than 7 million Americans over 65, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, and Black Americans are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia as white Americans. Working with the Alzheimer’s Association, Glover hopes his story encourages people to recognize the importance of early detection, staying physically active, managing chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, getting quality sleep, and remaining socially connected.

Although the disease has slowed his speech, movement, and memory, Glover continues to stay active in his hometown of San Francisco and remains engaged in the causes that have defined much of his life.

“I could live with it, in a sense,” he said.

Over a career spanning nearly four decades and more than 170 film and television credits, Glover became a Hollywood icon through roles in films like The Color Purple and the Lethal Weapon franchise. But beyond acting, he built a reputation as a tireless activist, serving as a United Nations and UNICEF goodwill ambassador and receiving the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2021.

His daughter, Mandisa Glover, said the family felt it was important for him to speak openly before others defined the narrative.

“I think it’s really important for him to have control of his own narrative,” she said. “The time is now.”

Despite his diagnosis, Glover says his commitment to justice and community remains unchanged.

“Justice is our collective responsibility,” he said. “The capacity of people to change… they become the architect of their change.”