“Lethal Weapon” star Danny Glover has revealed that he has been living with Alzheimer's disease for years.
In an interview with NBC's Lester Holt that aired on the “Today” show Wednesday, the 79-year-old actor and activist spoke about living with the disease. According to People, he received his diagnosis in 2023, shortly after he was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2022.
“In a sense, I could live with it,” Glover says of his condition, which has been affecting his movement, speech and memory. “I'm sure as I move forward, things will be different and things will change.”
A neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior and worsens over time, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Holt reports that more than 7 million Americans over the age of 65 live with Alzheimer's, and black men suffer from it at a rate twice the national average.
Glover and his family say the Hollywood icon is sharing his story now to “own his life” and help eliminate the stigma around the disease.
“They have my back,” Glover says of his family’s support.
In addition to his interpretation of the Los Angeles police detective. Roger Murtaugh in the “Lethal Weapon” film series, Glover is known for roles in films such as “Places in the Heart” (1984), “The Color Purple” (1985), “To Sleep With Anger” (1990), “Angels in the Outfield” (1994), “Dreamgirls” (2006) and “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (2019). He has also been a strong advocate for social justice and humanitarian causes both in the United States and abroad.
He received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2022.
“I don't feel like it's the end of my life,” she said in her interview with People about living with Alzheimer's. “There is work to be done.”
