There are a few Hollywood personalities who can match the talent of Donald Glover. The California native has proven to perform at the highest level on any stage. Glover has built a name for himself in entertainment for his musical, comedy, and acting talents. Yet, his most critically acclaimed role is as a creator of hit shows like Atlanta and the critically acclaimed new Prime Video series Swarm.
Additionally, Glover has production and writing credits on hit TV series like 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live and films like Guava Island. He has starred and featured in successful and critically acclaimed movies and TV shows since his career beginnings in 2006. Here are some of his most acclaimed roles.
7. The Lion King (2019)
Glover was involved in a Disney franchise. He lent his voice to the character of Simba in the 2019 Jon Favreau-directed live animation film, The Lion King. Favreau was tasked to remake a live adaptation of the 1994 animated film of the same name. It follows the life of Simba, a young lion trying to figure out his life in the African savannah. Scar, Simba’s uncle, falsely accuses him of killing his father, Mufasa. Scar takes over as king of the Pride Lands after Simba runs away to exile.
Simba is eventually found by her childhood friend and his future queen, Nala. Beyonce Knowles-Carter voices Nala’s character. She convinces him to return to the Pride Lands to challenge his uncle as the rightful successor to his father. The movie later reveals that Scar was the one who killed Mufasa. The movie grossed over $1.6 billion at the box office, making it one of the most successful films of all time.
6. Guava Island (2019)
Donald Glover stars in the Guava Island musical film alongside fellow musician, Rihanna. He plays the character of Deni Maroon, a Cuban musician determined to throw a festival for his island community. Kofi Novia, played by Rihanna, is his love interest. Red (Nonso Anozie) is the antagonist. He tries to stop Deni from creating a local music festival. However, it all turns out well in the end, as Deni successfully hosts and plays in the festival.
The film features songs like “Summertime Magic,” “This Is America,” and “Feels Like Summer.” Glover produced the records and performed them in the musical. Hiro Murai, Glover’s long-time music director, directed the film. The screenplay was co-written by Glover and his brother Stephen Glover. The film currently has a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
5. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Donald Glover’s inclusion in the popular franchise is a testament to his star power in Hollywood. The film tells the story of Han Solo, played by Alden Ehrenreich. Glover plays Lando Calrissian, a smuggler, gambler, and self-proclaimed sportsman on the rise in the galaxy’s underworld. Billy Dee Williams portrayed the character in previous Star Wars films.
The two actors met before shooting began, and Glover mentioned in the aforementioned GQ interview that Billy gave him advice on how to play the character of Lando best. The film debuted in May 2018. Glover’s portrayal of Lando was praised by critics despite underwhelming box office sales.
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Glover made a memorable cameo in the Marvel franchise that premiered in 2017. He plays Aaron Davis in the film. Spider-man confronts Davis, an illegal weapons criminal, in one of the scenes. Davis is alluded to be Miles Morales’ uncle. Miles is a character that Marvel has hinted to take up the mantel of Spider-man after Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland). The character of Miles Morales is also voiced by Glover in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series on the Disney XD channel.
3. Atlanta (2016 – 2022)
Donald Glover created and starred in the comedy-drama Atlanta. The plot follows the lives of Earnest Marks and Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, played by Brian Tyree Henry. Paper Boi is a budding hip-hop artist, and Earn is his manager. The two are trying to navigate the ‘otherworldly’ portrayed Atlanta hip-hop scene.
Atlanta has a predominantly Black cast and a Black-only production crew. The show has a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian ranked Atlanta at number 10 on its 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century list. The film has also won numerous awards, including a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Glover for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He also won Best Actor in a Television Series at the Golden Globe Awards for the role.
2. Childish Gambino (2008 – )
Donald Glover goes by the stage name Childish Gambino when pursuing his musical exploits. He has released four albums, including the Grammy-nominated, Awaken My Love. “Red Bone,” one of the lead singles off the album, won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. However, his most popular song is the Billboard No. 1 record, “This Is America.”
After its release, the four-minute visual was the most talked about topic in the entertainment industry. It featured a graphic portrayal of themes like gun violence, civil unrest, and the dark side of social media. The music video won the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage Award for Best Cinematography in a Music Video. It additionally won a Grammy for Best Music Video in 2019.
1. Community (2009 – 2014)
Donald Plays Troy Barnes in the NBC sitcom Community. The show aired from 2009 to 2014. Troy is a former high school star quarterback who lost his scholarship to a top-tier university when he separated both shoulders doing a keg flip. During the show, we discover that he actually did this on purpose to escape the pressures of his popularity. Troy initially portrays the stereotypical behaviors of a football player in the series. But, he eventually becomes comfortable with his nerdy and carefree side after becoming best friends with Abed, a character played by Danny Pudi.
The show has six seasons, with Donald Glover playing the character of Troy in the first five. Community was the most nominated TV show in the 2012 Critic’s Choice Television Awards and won Best Comedy Series. During a GQ interview, Donald confirmed that they are currently working on a movie version of Community.
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