Why I love... Donald Glover

How many times have you scoffed at the wunderkind with the six-figure book deal? Or the singer with a record-breaking number of nominations for their debut effort? It’s not just me, right? So maybe that’s why the subject of this week’s column remained in my “yeah, whatever” file for so long. I mean, who gets to be good at writing and acting and making music – and at such a young age?

Step forward, Donald Glover. No two ways about it: Glover, 33, had an excellent 2016. I first heard of him in 2008, when he was a writer on the Tina Fey workplace comedy 30 Rock. He was only 23 when he was hired – and went on to win three Writers Guild awards for his work on the show. Naturally, I felt nothing but impotent jealousy.

Then it turned out he could act, too, playing the hilarious Troy Barnes, a former high-school jock embracing his inner nerd in Community.

His face is cute and elastic, making it a perfect vessel for comedy (and a handy choice for reaction gifs). Glover also radiates sincerity – even at the height of silliness. There’s something particularly soulful about his mien in Atlanta, the critically acclaimed (and Golden Globe-winning) comedy drama he created and stars in (one of my favourite TV shows of 2016).

His nerd credentials are also solid: he’ll be playing Lando Calrissian in the new Star Wars movie, and has a role in 2017’s new Spider-Man film. But it’s Glover’s music, released under the pen name Childish Gambino, I’ve connected to most: I loved his PM Dawn and Tamia covers, but I haven’t stopped playing Awaken, My Love!, a beautifully funky and moving album, since it came out last December.

I’m over my envy. Now I’m just in love.