Donald Glover Says He Was A 'Diversity Hire' When he Joined '30 Rock'

Donald Glover: A Multifaceted Artist's Journey And Latest News

Donald Glover Says He Was A 'Diversity Hire' When he Joined '30 Rock'

In the vibrant world of entertainment, few names resonate like that of Donald Glover. Known for his exceptional talent as both an actor and musician, Glover continues to make headlines. Recently, he made the difficult decision to cancel the remaining dates of his Childish Gambino tour due to health concerns. This decision has left fans eager for updates on his recovery and future projects.

Latest News: Donald Glover Cancels Childish Gambino Tour

Donald Glover has canceled the remainder of his Childish Gambino tour dates in North America and the United Kingdom due to health concerns. The singer issued a statement on October 4, revealing that he is dealing with an unspecified health issue that requires surgery.

“After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent. After being assessed, it became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests, I could not perform the rest of the U.S. tour in the time asked,” he wrote on Twitter. “As of now I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal. My path to recovery is something I need to confront seriously.”

The 41-year-old had previously postponed the remaining dates for The New World Tour, which is said to be his last project under his stage name, along with his latest album Bando Stone & the New World, released in July 2024. Tickets for the 30-plus affected concert dates will be refunded in full.

Who Is Donald Glover?

Donald Glover is an Emmy-winning actor and Grammy-winning musician, who performs under the name Childish Gambino. After getting his start in television as a writer on 30 Rock, Glover moved onto acting in the show Community as well as movies like 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. His best-known work is as the star and creator of the TV comedy Atlanta, which earned him two Emmy Awards.

In 2017, he became the first African American to win an Emmy for comedy directing. As Childish Gambino, an alter ego he is set to retire, he has released six albums and the hit songs “This Is America” and “Redbone,” earning five Grammys. Glover’s most recent projects include the 2024 Emmy-nominated show Mr. and Mrs. Smith and the album Bando Stone and the New World.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Donald McKinley Glover Jr.
BORN: September 25, 1983
BIRTHPLACE: Edwards Air Force Base, California
SPOUSE: Michelle White (circa 2023-present)
CHILDREN: Legend, Drake, and Donald
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra

Early Life

Donald McKinley Glover Jr., better known as Donald Glover or his rap stage name Childish Gambino, was born on September 25, 1983, at Edwards Air Force Base in California. His family moved to Georgia when Glover was still very young, and he was raised principally in the community of Stone Mountain, about 20 miles northeast of Atlanta. According to Glover, Stone Mountain at that time was primarily a white suburb and his family was one of the only Black families in the area.

Glover’s father worked in a post office, and his mother was a day care manager. Glover has a brother, a sister, and two adopted siblings. His parents, both Jehovah’s Witnesses, took in foster children for many years, and Glover describes a household that was at times chaotic.

In high school, Glover became involved in musicals and plays. After graduating, he attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and graduated in 2006 with a degree in dramatic writing. Post-college, he produced comedy videos with former classmates who formed a troupe called Derrick Comedy.

Movies and TV Shows: Atlanta and More

Glover’s first major role in entertainment was as a television writer. In 2006, comedian Tina Fey handpicked then-23-year-old Glover to join the writing staff on her NBC series 30 Rock. Glover left 30 Rock after three seasons and pivoted to working as a TV actor, joining the cast of Community, another beloved NBC comedy, as ex-high school jock Troy Barnes. Glover’s role has maintained internet fame through a popular meme in which Troy carries pizza boxes into a burning room from the third-season episode “Remedial Chaos Theory.”

After more than four seasons with Community, Glover decided to get the best of both worlds by developing and starring in his own show. Beginning in 2016, Glover began starring in Atlanta, a comedy show he created about an Ivy League dropout who manages the up-and-coming rap career of a cousin. A hit with fans, Atlanta was nominated for six Emmy Awards following its first season.

Emmy Winner for Atlanta

Four of the nominations recognized Glover, and he won two: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. The latter trophy made Glover the first African American to win an Emmy for comedy directing. Atlanta also won two Golden Globes and a Peabody award.

The show was so well-received that FX signed Glover to a development and production deal in January 2017. Along with launching the second and then the third seasons of Atlanta, Glover also worked on an animated Deadpool series, featuring the titular Marvel Comics superhero, for FXX, a sister network of FX.

In March 2018, it was announced that Glover and his younger brother and collaborator, Stephen, were leaving Deadpool over “creative differences.” Addressing the rumors that he had too much on his plate, Glover tweeted, “For the record: I wasn’t too busy to work on Deadpool.”

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Glover partnered with Amazon Prime Video for the 2024 spy drama series Mr. and Mrs. Smith, inspired by the 2005 movie of the same name starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Glover played secret agent John Smith, who works undercover as one half of a married couple with another spy, played by Maya Erskine. In addition to his onscreen role, Glover is one of the show’s creators, writers, and executive producers.

Praised for its action pieces and the chemistry between the two leads, Mr. and Mrs. Smith earned 16 Emmy nominations including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor for Glover, and Outstanding Lead Actress for Erskine. Glover was also nominated for the show’s writing.

Movies: Solo: A Star Wars Story and More

Glover has also appeared in a variety of movies, starting with Magic Mike XXL (2015), The Martian (2015), and the Tom Holland–led Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). In 2018, Glover enjoyed a more prominent role in Solo: A Star Wars Story. The movie traces the early life of intergalactic pilot and warrior Han Solo, the character first made famous by Harrison Ford.

In Solo, Glover played the young Lando Calrissian, the role originally held by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. Following Solo, Glover co-starred in the Amazon short film Guava Island (2019), alongside Rihanna. That summer, he headlined a CGI-animated remake of the 1994 animated classic The Lion King as the voice of Simba.

Childish Gambino

Along with his acclaimed TV and movie work, Glover is a successful rapper and hip-hop artist performing under the name Childish Gambino. The name was produced at random by the Wu-Tang Clan’s Name Generator. His first album, Camp, arrived in 2011 and was followed by 2013’s Because the Internet and 2014’s Kauai.

Because the Internet and its track “3005” earned the artist his first two Grammy Award nominations. Childish Gambino’s next album, “Awaken My Love!” (2016), received even louder acclaim. It earned five Grammy nominations, including Album of the

The Life And Legacy Of Chuck Berry: Rock 'n' Roll's Founding Father
Elizabeth Taylor: A Life Of Stardom And Resilience (1932-2011)
Exploring The Dark Legacy Of H.H. Holmes: The Infamous Serial Killer

Donald Glover Says He Was A 'Diversity Hire' When he Joined '30 Rock'
Donald Glover Says He Was A 'Diversity Hire' When he Joined '30 Rock'
Childish Gambino's 'This is America' Originated as Drake Diss
Childish Gambino's 'This is America' Originated as Drake Diss
Donald Glover "If I got on SNL, my career wouldn’t have happened
Donald Glover "If I got on SNL, my career wouldn’t have happened