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Donald GloverAmerican actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, director, rapper, singer, songwriter and DJ
Date of Birth: 25.09.1983
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Donald Glover: Multifaceted Artist and Cultural Icon
- Early Career: Writing and Music
- Breakout Role in "Community"
- Music Career as Childish Gambino
- "Atlanta" and Continued Success
- Return to Superheroes and Further Acclaim
- Acting and Music Beyond Childish Gambino
- Influences and Legacy
- Personal Life
Donald Glover: Multifaceted Artist and Cultural Icon
Early Life and EducationDonald McKinley Glover Jr. was born on September 25, 1983, at Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California. Raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia, as a Jehovah's Witness, Glover's parents fostered 14 children throughout his childhood. He attended Lakeside High School and the DeKalb School of the Arts, where his talent for writing was recognized. His high school yearbook predicted he would "definitely write for 'The Simpsons.'" Glover went on to earn a BA in Dramatic Literature from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 2006.
Early Career: Writing and Music
During his college years, Glover recorded the unreleased mixtape "The Younger I Get" and began experimenting with DJing and producing electronic music. In 2006, David Miner and Tina Fey recruited Glover to the writing staff of "30 Rock" after reading his spec scripts. He simultaneously released the independent mixtape "Sick Boi" and auditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Barack Obama on "Saturday Night Live."
Breakout Role in "Community"
Glover's acting career gained significant traction with his portrayal of the good-natured Jehovah's Witness Troy Barnes on the sitcom "Community." Although Troy became a less prominent character in season 5 and made only occasional appearances, Glover denied rumors that he was leaving to pursue his rapping career under the moniker Childish Gambino. He attributed his decision to personal reasons and a desire for projects with greater agency.
Music Career as Childish Gambino
Glover released the mixtape "Poindexter" in September 2009, followed by "I Am Just a Rapper," "I Am Just A Rapper 2," and "Culdesac." In May 2010, a fan campaign emerged on Twitter to have Glover cast as Peter Parker in "The Amazing Spider-Man," supported by Stan Lee himself. Despite the fan support, Glover did not audition for the role, which went to Andrew Garfield. However, he later voiced Miles Morales, the Afro-Latino incarnation of Spider-Man, in the animated series "Ultimate Spider-Man."
Glover's debut EP, simply titled "EP," dropped in March 2011. His first full-length album, "Camp," was released on November 15, 2011, and sold 52,000 copies in its first week. PopMatters writer Steve Lepore hailed "Camp" as "undoubtedly one of the best albums of any genre from 2011." A concert tour to support the album was rescheduled from March to April 2012 after Glover suffered a foot injury.
"Atlanta" and Continued Success
In 2013, Glover signed a deal with FX to create the musical comedy-drama series "Atlanta," in which he served as actor, writer, and producer. He also starred in the romantic comedy "The To Do List" and had a two-episode arc on "Girls." His sophomore album, "Because the Internet," was released in December 2013, with the short film "Clapping for the Wrong Reasons" serving as a prelude to the album. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales exceeding 500,000 copies.
Glover continued his acting career, appearing in three films in 2015: the horror film "The Lazarus Effect," the dramedy "Magic Mike XXL," and Ridley Scott's sci-fi epic "The Martian."
Return to Superheroes and Further Acclaim
Glover portrayed Aaron Davis in the 2017 film "Spider-Man: Homecoming." The film's director, Jon Watts, who had been aware of the 2010 superhero fan campaign, stated that "the fans are going to be happy with" the casting.
In April 2017, Glover was included in Time's annual list of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World." Tina Fey penned the accompanying article, describing Glover as "the embodiment of his generation's faith that anyone can do anything and change everything if they want to."
In June 2017, Glover announced his decision to retire the Childish Gambino persona. "Gambino is putting out his last album and playing Governor's Ball and that's it," he explained.
Acting and Music Beyond Childish Gambino
Glover portrayed a young Lando Calrissian in the 2018 film "Solo: A Star Wars Story." He also lent his voice to Simba in the 2019 remake of the epic musical "The Lion King."
In August 2018, reports emerged that Glover had been filming a secretive project, "Guava Island," in Cuba with Rihanna throughout the summer. A trailer was shown at the 2018 PHAROS Festival in New Zealand, but the project's fate remains unknown.
Influences and Legacy
Glover has cited LCD Soundsystem and Ghostface Killah as musical influences. He has also named the hip-hop duo Outkast, the trio Migos, and the funk-punk band Funkadelic as sources of inspiration.
In turn, Glover has inspired young musicians and actors, including rapper Vince Staples, who admires Glover's "constant growth as a human being," and actor and writer Naren Weiss, who emphasizes Glover's versatility.
Personal Life
In January 2017, Glover revealed that he and his girlfriend, Michelle, had welcomed their first child, born in early 2016. The couple welcomed their second son in January 2018.
