Danny Glover has publicly revealed that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2023. The 79-year-old actor shared the news in interviews published on July 1, 2026.
Glover, best known for his role in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, opened up about the emotional challenges of processing the condition.
He spoke with People magazine and appeared on NBC's "Today" show.
"I'm still not accepting in my mind all parts of it," Glover told People. He described moments that validate his memory and others he says he'll never forget.
The actor noted that coming to terms with the illness involves a dual realization about his personal health and the millions of others affected worldwide.
"In some sense, acknowledging that it's happening to you and at the same time that there are millions of people suffering from it," he added.
Speaking to Lester Holt on "Today," Glover expressed a sense of peace about the long-term outlook. "I could live with it, in a sense," he said.
He acknowledged that the progressive nature of the condition will inevitably alter his daily life.
"I'm sure, as it advances, things are gonna be different and changing," he added.
The diagnosis has prompted Glover to reflect on his career, particularly the 1984 film "Places in the Heart."
He credited his lifelong dedication to social justice to his parents' activism, which began during the Montgomery bus boycott.
"The one thing about my parents was their activism," Glover explained. "A sense of being and belonging and making the contribution.
When I saw the Montgomery bus boycott (in 1955-56), I knew I wanted to be like those people."
As he navigates the disease's progression, Glover emphasized his desire to inspire younger generations through art. "It's talking to young people and their responsibility," he said.
"We have challenges in the world. I think art becomes a reframe, a way of looking at that."
He reiterated that his upbringing taught him about people's capacity to drive change. "Justice is our collective responsibility," Glover continued.
"One thing I learned from my parents most of my life is the capacity of people to change through their own.
They become the architect of their change."
Glover's daughter, Mandisa Glover, also spoke to Holt about her father's decision to go public. "We all get old.
It happens.
That's what I think is important: that he tells his story and he has ownership of his life," she said.
"The time is now. What better time than now for him to speak for himself?"
She emphasized the importance of transparency. "It's important because people ask questions sometimes," Mandisa added.
"I don't want to be a dishonest person and say, 'Oh, yeah, everything is all right. It's all great.'"
