Comedy legend and Hollywood icon Eddie Murphy is set to receive one of the entertainment industry's highest honours, the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award. The AFI's board of trustees made the official announcement, revealing the award will be presented at a gala tribute in Los Angeles next year.
A Trailblazing Career Spanning Decades
At 64 years old, Eddie Murphy has been a dominant force in entertainment for nearly five decades. Kathleen Kennedy, chair of the AFI board of trustees, praised the star, calling him "an American icon" and a "trailblazing force" in film, television, and stand-up comedy. His remarkable journey began as a teenage stand-up sensation, leading to his pivotal role on Saturday Night Live.
Murphy's film career skyrocketed, establishing him as a box office titan with era-defining hits such as:
- Beverly Hills Cop
- Coming to America
- The Nutty Professor
- The beloved Shrek franchise
His performance in Dreamgirls earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination in 2007, alongside a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award, though he did not ultimately win the Academy Award.
Murphy's Candid Perspective on Fame and Awards
In a revealing moment from his recent Netflix documentary, "Being Eddie," Murphy reflected on that Oscar night. He admitted that wearing a tuxedo bothered him more than losing the award, stating, "It’s always wonderful to win stuff, but if I don’t win, I don’t give a... I’m still Eddie in the morning."
This nonchalant attitude was also on display at the 2023 Golden Globes, where he gave a notably brief acceptance speech after receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award. His perspective has matured over the years; in a 2021 interview with The Associated Press, he shared, "You take everything for granted when you’re young, how successful I was. Now I take nothing for granted and appreciate everything."
Joining the Ranks of Cinematic Giants
The AFI Life Achievement Award is one of the most prestigious honours in the film world. Eddie Murphy will become its 51st recipient since the award was first given to director John Ford in 1973.
He joins an illustrious list of previous honourees, including:
- Nicole Kidman
- Julie Andrews
- Denzel Washington
The award ceremony for Francis Ford Coppola last year attracted cinematic luminaries like Steven Spielberg and Robert De Niro, indicating the calibre of the event. The star-studded gala where Murphy will accept his award is scheduled for 18 April 2026 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
