Donald Glover shared that even his son could sense Rihanna’s star power the moment they met.
Speaking with W Magazine for Rihanna’s latest cover story, Glover looked back on what it was like working with her on his 2019 film, Guava Island.
“She came in very relaxed and malleable,” the actor and musician said. “She’d read and memorized everything already, but asked a lot of questions on what her character was looking for. It was cool to see her dive into it with no real fear of vulnerability. She just came in ready to play, which was really refreshing.”
He went on to share that his son actually met Rihanna before filming began for the Amazon Studios project. It’s not clear which of his sons he was referring to, as Donald Glover’s eldest, Legend, was born in 2016, Drake in 2018, and his youngest, Donald III, in 2020.
“When she came to the house in Cuba before filming to just chat and meet my son. She bent down to his level and said, ‘How are you, little man?’” Glover recalled. “And my son said nothing but then put his whole fist in his mouth. He’d never done that before, nor has he after. I laughed for the rest of the day. I think her aura was just too much for him.”
The musical film Guava Island centers on Deni Maroon (Glover), a musician determined to throw a music festival for his community on a fictional Caribbean island, with Rihanna playing his girlfriend, Kofi Novia.
Rihanna also graced the cover of W Magazine alongside her and ASAP Rocky’s 7-month-old daughter, Rocki Irish Mayer. Rocky couldn’t help but gush about his partner, telling the publication she “has always been magic,” calling her the “most charming and genuine person on Earth” with a “one of a kind” and “unmatched” energy.
