Danny Glover Shares Alzheimer’s Diagnosis, Helping To Fight Stigma

Written by Ted Samson

Posted on July 23, 2026

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Actor and activist Danny Glover recently made public that he is living with Alzheimer’s disease. By speaking openly, the 80-year-old is helping to challenge the stigma around the condition and reminding those diagnosed with it that life can still hold meaning, connection, and purpose.

“I still have my daughter, I have friends. I want to just say, your life continues,” Glover told People.

Glover, known for his role in films such as the “Lethal Weapon” series and “The Color Purple,” said he received his diagnosis in 2023. He discussed the news publicly in July 2026 through interviews with People and Today.

🗳️ How have friends or family reacted to your or your loved one’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis?

They’ve been mostly supportive.

Some have been supportive and others have not.

They’ve been mostly unsupportive.

I haven’t chosen to disclose.

He acknowledged that accepting the diagnosis has not been easy. He described moments when remembering important experiences helps reassure him that his memories and identity remain part of who he is.

“I’m still not accepting in my mind all parts of it,” he told People. “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.”

“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.”

— Danny Glover

Glover’s friends and family members also spoke about coming to terms with his diagnosis. “You see the deterioration, and you think, ‘Wow,’ ” Glover’s brother Marty told People. “Sometimes you get emotional about it. It’s tough, because you don’t want to see nobody go through this.”

Sharing His Story on His Own Terms

Glover’s daughter, Mandisa, first noticed changes in his memory around 2022. She has said it was important for her father to tell his own story rather than have others speak for him.

The actor’s symptoms have progressed since his diagnosis, affecting his movements, speech, and memory. He told People that his mind feels sharpest in the morning. “When I wake up, I try to figure out something,” he said. “Reading something, looking at something. ‘Democracy Now!’ is a show that I love.”

Glover now receives support from family members and caregivers while continuing to take part in activities in his longtime San Francisco community. He and his family work with his healthcare team on a treatment plan. “We just want him to live his best life, like he made us live ours,” said Marty.

His decision to speak publicly follows decades of activism. Glover has supported causes involving civil rights, economic justice, and global health. He received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2022.

By sharing his diagnosis, Glover is bringing that same spirit of advocacy to Alzheimer’s disease. Public conversations can help challenge the idea that a diagnosis defines a person or immediately ends their ability to participate in family and community life.