Danny Glover has opened up for the first time about his life with Alzheimer’s disease, and his daughter, Mandisa Glover, is part of the close support system helping him through the new chapter.
The veteran actor, known for “Lethal Weapon,” “The Color Purple” and decades of film and activist work, spoke to People from his longtime San Francisco townhouse ahead of his 80th birthday on July 22. During the interview, Mandisa, 50, helped explain how the disease has affected her father’s daily life.
“I think he’s aware sometimes and then sometimes not,” Mandisa said.
Glover also reflected on what remains most important to him.
“I still have my daughter, I have friends. I want to just say, your life continues,” he said.
Danny Glover’s Daughter Mandisa Is His Only Child
Mandisa, whose name means “sweet,” is the only child of Glover and his first wife, Asake Bomani. Glover and Bomani married in 1975, welcomed Mandisa on January 5, 1976, and divorced in 2000.
Glover has long spoken about the importance of fatherhood. In a 2009 interview, fathers’ rights attorney Jeffery Leving credited his own father with helping shape his approach to parenting.
“I had a father who I thought was a prince … The sense of presence and the way he took on the responsibility of caring for the family, all those things I was able to take with me into fatherhood,” Glover said.
He added, “And, even though some things I think I could have done differently, hopefully, those would have had some sort of impact on my daughter, and our relationship is a testimony that it has had some impact on her.”
Mandisa grew up in San Francisco, the same city where her father was raised. The family lived in a Victorian home in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, about eight blocks from where Glover grew up.
Mandisa Glover Built a Career Around Food
While Mandisa had a few small roles in film, she has largely focused her career on food.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she studied history and French at Mills College and San Francisco State University. A 1999 Associated Press interview with Glover also identified her as a senior at New York University at the time.
Mandisa now lives in New York City and works as a chef. She often shares photos of the meals she cooks on Instagram, including private dinners, wedding tastings, and meals for friends and family.
Her Shef profile explains how growing up in San Francisco shaped her love of food.
“I ate my way from Mexico to Malaysia and from Nigeria to Thailand, Senegal, and Peru, all within 30 blocks,” she wrote. “I had the fortune of sitting with friends abuelas and babas from around the world who showed me techniques to make the food unique to each region of the world. I enjoy food and I enjoy sharing food and knowing that when you eat you will be pleased.”
Mandisa previously worked as a project manager and assistant at Gumbo et Tous and is the owner of AlileAixe.
Danny Glover Is Also a Proud Grandfather
Mandisa is mom to one son, Adesola, who was born on January 15, 2004.
She often posts about her son on Instagram. In 2024, she celebrated his 20th birthday with a heartfelt message.
“I am so proud of the man you are. You are the best gift greatest joy in my life,” she wrote.
In 2022, Mandisa shared that she had dropped off her son in Baltimore for a new chapter, calling it “a day of joy [and] a day of tears.” She described him as “my best friend Someone who captured my heart 18 1/2 years ago.”
Glover has also spoken warmly about being a grandfather. In an interview with the African American Literature Book Club, the actor said his grandson brought him happiness.
“I’m a grandfather, and I’m in love with him … I’m trying to insert myself in his life every way I can. And he knows it,” Glover said, calling Ade his “running partner.”
Mandisa Glover Is Part of Danny Glover’s Support System
As Glover manages Alzheimer’s disease, Mandisa remains part of the close network around him, along with his wife, Marty, and a team of caregivers.
According to the People profile, Glover is clearest 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.”
Mandisa acknowledged the emotional weight of the diagnosis.
“It’s a change in the core of who you think you are or don’t think you are,” she said.
She added, “It’s very hard. You just have to live the day for what it is.”
Marty told the outlet that the family plans to continue working with Glover’s doctor and exploring treatment options.
“We just want him to live his best life,” she said, “like he made us live ours.”
For Glover, family remains central as he continues navigating the diagnosis.
“I still have my daughter, I have friends,” he said. “I want to just say, your life continues.”
I wish you peace and ❤️ Mr. Glover.