Eddie Murphy to be honored with Life Achievement Award by American Film Institute
In recognition of his enduring influence in film, television and comedy over many decades, Eddie Murphy will receive an American Film Institute Life Achievement Award in April 2025.
Eddie Murphy is about to receive one of Hollywood’s most prestigious honors. The American Film Institute has announced that the actor-comedian will be honored with a Life Achievement Award in 2025, with the ceremony taking place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles in April 2026.
The honor recognizes Murphy’s remarkable impact in film, television and stand-up comedy – a career that began in his teens and has shaped generations of entertainers.
Calling him “an American icon”, Kathleen Kennedy, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees, praised Murphy as “a leading force in the art forms of film, television and stand-up comedy.” In a career spanning more than four decades, Murphy has played some of comedy and cinema’s most memorable characters.
His filmography includes ‘Beverly Hills Cop’, ‘Coming to America’, ‘The Nutty Professor’ and ‘Shrek’ franchises. She received an Oscar nomination for ‘Dreamgirls’, winning a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the performance.
Murphy reflected on his journey in the Netflix documentary Becoming Eddie. Speaking about awards and expectations, he said, “It’s always wonderful to win things, but if I don’t win, I don’t – I don’t give a damn,” adding, “I’m still Eddie in the morning,” offering a glimpse of the irreverence that has defined his humor.
The 64-year-old has been honored before, including receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in 2023.
Established in 1973, AFI’s Life Achievement Award is one of the organization’s highest recognitions. Murphy will become its 51st recipient, joining previous honorees such as Nicole Kidman, Denzel Washington and Julie Andrews.
The AFI Tribute ceremony traditionally attracts the biggest names in Hollywood. Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford and Robert De Niro were in attendance at Francis Ford Coppola’s celebration last year.