Overview
- Eddie Murphy will be honored at an AFI Gala Tribute on April 18, 2026 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
- AFI Board chair Kathleen Kennedy hailed Murphy as “an American icon,” citing his versatility across film, television and stand-up.
- The selection comes as Netflix’s Being Eddie spotlights his career alongside recent screen work.
- Established in 1973, the AFI Life Achievement Award is widely regarded as one of film’s top career honors, with recent recipients including Francis Ford Coppola, Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews and Denzel Washington.
- Reports highlight Murphy’s five decades of box-office success—from Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America to Dreamgirls and Shrek—with outlets noting he is often ranked as the most commercially successful African-American film actor.