Donald Glover facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Donald Glover
Glover in 2015
Born	Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (1983-09-25) September 25, 1983 (age 41) Edwards, California, U.S.
Other names	Childish Gambino mcDJ
Education	New York University (BFA)
Occupation	Actor comedian musician writer producer director
Years active	2004–present
Works	Discography filmography
Spouse(s)	Michelle White ​ (m. 2024)​
Children	3
Relatives	Stephen Glover (brother)
Awards	Full list
Comedy career
Medium	Stand-up television film music
Genres	Observational comedy black comedy musical comedy sketch comedy satire
Subject(s)	African-American culture current events everyday life pop culture race relations
Musical career
Origin	Stone Mountain, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop funk R&B soul indie pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	mcDJ Wolf+Rothstein Liberator RCA Glassnote
Signature

Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (born September 25, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, musician, and filmmaker. He is also famous for his music, which he creates under the stage name Childish Gambino.

Glover has many talents. He started his career as a writer for the popular TV show 30 Rock. He became well-known for playing the character Troy Barnes in the comedy series Community. He later created, wrote, and starred in the award-winning TV show Atlanta. For his work on Atlanta, he won two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

As an actor, Glover has been in many big movies. He played Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming and a young Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story. He was also the voice of the adult Simba in the 2019 version of The Lion King.

As the musician Childish Gambino, he has released several successful albums. His 2018 song, "This Is America", became a huge hit and won four Grammy Awards. It was the first hip hop song ever to win the awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Early life

Donald McKinley Glover Jr. was born on September 25, 1983, at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. His mother, Beverly, ran a daycare, and his father, Donald Sr., worked for the post office. His parents also served as foster parents for 14 years.

Glover has a younger brother, Stephen, who often works with him as a writer and producer, and a sister named Brianne. In high school, his classmates voted him "Most Likely to Write for The Simpsons."

In 2006, he graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He studied dramatic writing. While in college, he also started making electronic music and remixes under the name mcDJ.

Writing & acting career

2006–2010: Early Career and Community

Glover at a panel for Community at PaleyFest 2010

In 2006, producer David Miner and comedian Tina Fey were very impressed with Glover's writing. They hired him as a writer for the NBC show 30 Rock. He was only 23 years old. He worked on the show for three years and sometimes appeared in small roles.

While in college, Glover joined a sketch comedy group called Derrick Comedy. They made popular videos for YouTube. The group also made a movie called Mystery Team in 2009.

Glover's big break as an actor came in 2009. He was cast as Troy Barnes in the NBC show Community. He played the funny former high school athlete for five seasons. He left the show in 2014 to focus on other projects.

In 2010, fans started a campaign on Twitter with the hashtag "#donald4spiderman". They wanted him to play Spider-Man in a new movie. The campaign got a lot of attention, even from Spider-Man's creator, Stan Lee. Although he didn't get the part, the idea inspired comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis. Bendis later created Miles Morales, an African-American Spider-Man, and said Glover's look helped shape the character. Glover later got to be the voice of Miles Morales in the animated TV series Ultimate Spider-Man.

2013–2017: Atlanta and Spider-Man

In 2016, Glover's own TV show, Atlanta, premiered on the FX network. He created, wrote, directed, and starred in the series. The show is about a man named Earn Marks who manages his cousin's rap career in Atlanta.

Atlanta was a huge success with both critics and audiences. Glover won many awards for the show, including two Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He was the first black person to win an Emmy for directing a comedy series.

During this time, Glover also appeared in several movies. He was in the science fiction film The Martian (2015). In 2017, he played the criminal Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming. This was exciting for fans who knew about the "#donald4spiderman" campaign.

2018–present: Major Film Roles

Glover (left) promoting Solo with Phoebe Waller-Bridge in 2018

In 2018, Glover played the young Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story. His performance as the charming space hero was highly praised.

The next year, he starred in and produced the movie Guava Island with singer Rihanna. He also provided the voice for the adult Simba in Disney's 2019 remake of The Lion King. The movie was a massive box office hit.

Glover continues to create new projects. He co-created the TV series Swarm in 2023. In 2024, he created and starred in the series Mr. & Mrs. Smith for Prime Video. He also confirmed he would return for the upcoming Community movie.

Music career (as Childish Gambino)

Glover's music career is just as successful as his acting career. He performs under the name Childish Gambino. He got the name from an online Wu-Tang Clan name generator.

2011–2014: First Albums

Glover performing as Childish Gambino at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City in 2010

After releasing several free mixtapes online, Glover signed with Glassnote Records. In 2011, he released his first studio album, Camp. The album was a success and showed his unique style of hip hop.

His second album, Because the Internet (2013), was even more popular. It included the hit single "3005". The album earned him his first Grammy Award nominations. To go with the album, he also created a short film and a screenplay.

2016–2018: "Awaken, My Love!" and "This Is America"

Glover performing as Childish Gambino at South by Southwest in 2014

In 2016, Glover surprised fans with his third album, "Awaken, My Love!". The album had a completely different sound. It was inspired by funk and soul music from the 1970s. The album's biggest hit, "Redbone", won a Grammy Award.

In May 2018, he released the song and music video for "This Is America". The song talks about serious social issues in the United States. It debuted at number one on the music charts. The powerful video also got a lot of attention. The song won four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

2020–present: Recent Music

In March 2020, Glover released his fourth album, 3.15.20. In 2024, he re-released a finished version of that album called Atavista. He also released a new album, Bando Stone & the New World, which is the soundtrack for a movie he is making.

Glover has said that Bando Stone & the New World might be his last album as Childish Gambino. He has toured around the world, performing for huge crowds.

Personal life

Glover is a very private person. He does not use social media very often. He began dating Michelle White in 2015, and they married in 2024. They have three sons, who were born in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

In 2019, he showed his support for Andrew Yang in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. He joined Yang's campaign as a creative consultant.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Glover has won many awards for his work in television, film, and music. These include five Grammy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and five Writers Guild of America Awards.

Discography

• Camp (2011)
• Because the Internet (2013)
• "Awaken, My Love!" (2016)
• 3.15.20 (2020)
  • Re-released as Atavista (2024)
• Bando Stone & the New World (2024)

Tours

• Deep Web Tour (2014)
• This Is America Tour (2018–2019)
• The New World Tour (2024)

See also

In Spanish: Donald Glover para niños

• List of Primetime Emmy Award winners
• List of black Golden Globe Award winners and nominees