Danny Glover, the 79-year-old star of Lethal Weapon and The Color Purple, has revealed he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2023, sharing the news publicly for the first time in an exclusive interview with NBC's Today show that aired Wednesday, July 1.
Speaking with former NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, Glover said the progressive neurodegenerative disease has slowed his movement, speech, and memory over the past several years. "I can live with it, in a sense," Glover said. "I'm sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing."
The four-time Emmy winner was joined for the interview by members of his family, including his daughter Mandisa Glover and brother Martin Glover, who said they wanted to support him in sharing his story publicly. "They've got my back," Glover said of his family.
Glover, who received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2022 Governors Awards, said he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's around that same time.
He is now partnering with the Alzheimer's Association to raise awareness, and remains active in his San Francisco community.
His story reflects a truth many families quietly carry - that dignity and love don't fade with memory. As his daughter told Holt, "The time is now. What better time than now for him to speak for himself?"
For the millions of families walking through Alzheimer's alongside a loved one, Glover's decision to speak openly offers a reminder that no one has to face it in silence, and that faithful presence - showing up, day after day - remains one of the deepest expressions of love.
