Actor Danny Glover Talks About Living With Alzheimer’s Disease

“It’s like a big party was here,” says Danny Glover, gazing around his dining room at the family, caregivers and PEOPLE crew around him and breaking into his famous broad smile. In the 50 years he’s lived in this historic San Francisco townhouse, there’s been no shortage of celebrations. Fellow Hollywood stars and icons like Harry Belafonte have visited his home’s narrow halls, filled with striking works by Black artists, as he proudly held court. But today’s intention is different. Sitting down for PEOPLE’s interview, the beloved veteran actor, who will turn 80 on July 22, is just trying to get his bearings. “I think he’s aware sometimes and then sometimes not,” says his daughter Mandisa, 50. Her words prove true throughout his interview, during which Glover opens up for the first time about his life with Alzheimer’s disease, often toggling between unfinished thoughts and poetic personal tangents. 

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But there are also times when he speaks lucidly. “I’m still not accepting in my mind all parts of it,” he says of his diagnosis. “There are the moments that you keep remembering that validate the fact that you can remember stuff. And there are moments I’ll never forget.” 

To the world, he’s surely had an unforgettable journey. After acclaimed performances on Broadway and in breakout films like 1984’s Places in the Heart and 1985’s cultural touchstone The Color Purple, Glover won millions of fans over with his turn opposite Mel Gibson in the 1987 action blockbuster Lethal Weapon. The movie launched a hit franchise, sent his career to new heights and helped usher in an era of broader opportunities for Black actors. With family-friendly films like 1994’s Angels in the Outfield and gripping dramas like 1998’s Beloved, Glover became renowned for his versatility and power onscreen. And in 2022 he took home the Oscars’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his lifelong dedication to charitable work and activism.

Source: Yahoo