Actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover has been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 25 years. As an actor, his film credits range from the blockbuster "Lethal Weapon" franchise of movies to smaller independent features, some of which Glover also produced. In recent years he has starred in an array of motion pictures including the critically-acclaimed "Dreamgirls" directed by Bill Condon and in the futuristic "2012" for director Roland Emmerich. He also had roles in the comedy "Death at a Funeral" for director Neil LaBute and in the moving drama "Dear Alice" for Swedish director Othman Karim.
Glover has gained respect for his wide-reaching community activism and philanthropic efforts, with a particular emphasis on advocacy for economic justice and access to health care and education programs in the United States and Africa. For these efforts Glover received a 2006 DGA Honor and was honored with a 2011 "Pioneer Award" from the National Civic Rights Museum. Internationally, Glover has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program from 1998 to 2004, focusing on issues of poverty, disease and economic development in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Glover was presented in 2011 with the prestigious Medaille des Arts et des Letters from the French Ministry of Culture and was honored with a Tribute at the Deauville International Film Festival. Currently Glover serves as UNICEF Ambassador.
In 2005 Glover co-founded Louverture Films dedicated to the development and production of films of historical relevance, social purpose, commercial value and artistic integrity. The New York-based company has a slate of progressive features and documentaries including "Trouble the Water," which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, "Africa Unite," award-winning feature "Bamako" and, most recently, the projects "Dum Maaro Dum" and "The Black Power Mixtape."
A native of San Francisco, Glover trained at the Black Actors’ Workshop of the American Conservatory Theatre. It was his Broadway debut in Fugard’s Master Harold…and the Boys that brought him national recognition and led director Robert Benton to cast him in his first leading role in 1984’s Academy Award-nominated Best Picture, "Places in the Heart." The following year, Glover starred in two more Best Picture nominated films: Peter Weir’s ‘Witness" and Steven Spielberg’s "The Color Purple." In 1987, Glover partnered with Mel Gibson in the first "Lethal Weapon" film and went on the star in three hugely successful sequels. Glover has also invested his talents in more personal projects including the award-winning "To Sleep With Anger" which he executive produced and for which he won and Independent Spirit Award for Best Actor; "Bopha!," "Manderlay," "Missing in America" and the film version of Athol Fugard’s play "Boseman and Lena." He also starred in "Saw," "Five Minarets in New York," "Donovan’s Echo" and "The Children’s Republic."
On the small screen, Glover won an Image Award, a Cable ACE Award and earned an Emmy® nomination for his performance in the title role of the HBO movie "Mandela." He has also received Emmy® nominations for his work in the acclaimed miniseries "Lonesome Dove" and the telefilm "Freedom Song." As a director he earned a Daytime Emmy® nomination for Showtime’s "Just a Dream." Most recently, Glover made guest appearances on the popular television series "Leverage" and "Psych."
