LOS ANGELES – Legendary actor and comedian Eddie Murphy will be honored with the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award, the AFI board of trustees announced Friday. The award will be presented at a gala tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 18.
“Eddie Murphy is an American icon,” said AFI board chair Kathleen Kennedy. “A trailblazing force in the art forms of film, television and stand-up comedy, his versatility knows no bounds.” Murphy, 64, has had a career spanning nearly 50 years, from his teenage stand-up performances to “Saturday Night Live” and blockbuster films like Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor, and the Shrek franchise.
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Murphy has previously been recognized with multiple awards, including a Screen Actors Guild award and a Golden Globe for Dreamgirls, for which he was also nominated for an Academy Award. In a Netflix documentary, Being Eddie, he reflected on his approach to awards, saying, “It’s always wonderful to win stuff, but if I don’t win, I don’t give a [expletive]. I’m still Eddie in the morning.”
The AFI Life Achievement Award, first presented in 1973 to John Ford, has been given to cinematic icons including Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, and Denzel Washington. Murphy will become the 51st recipient of the prestigious award, joining the ranks of Hollywood’s most celebrated figures.
AFI gala tributes are renowned for their star-studded attendance, with past events featuring luminaries such as Steven Spielberg, Robert De Niro, and Harrison Ford. Murphy’s recognition cements his status as one of the most influential and versatile entertainers of his generation.