EDDIE MURPHY HONORED
AT AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD GALA TRIBUTE
Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Hart, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Lawrence, Spike Lee, Eva Longoria, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Chris Rock, Kenan Thompson and Stevie Wonder Among Guests
Special to Premiere on Netflix on May 31, 2026
Gala Raised Over $2.5 Million for AFI’s Non-Profit Education Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, April 18, 2026 – The American Film Institute (AFI) presented the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award to Eddie Murphy on Saturday, April 18, at a Gala Tribute in Hollywood. The tribute special, THE 51st AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: A TRIBUTE TO EDDIE MURPHY, will premiere on Netflix on May 31, 2026.
Byron Allen, Martin Brest, Jerry Bruckheimer, Colman Domingo, David Alan Grier, Walter Hill, Jaafar Jackson, Keegan-Michael Key, Sugar Ray Leonard, Nia Long, and Joe Piscopo, and more filled the Dolby Theatre to celebrate Murphy’s award-winning career and his significant impact on the moving arts. The event began with welcome remarks from Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO and featured tributes honoring Murphy, including speeches from Belle Aykroyd on behalf of her father Dan Aykroyd, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Hart, Martin Lawrence, Eva Longoria, Tracy Morgan, Mike Myers, Judge Reinhold, Chris Rock, Kenan Thompson, Robert Townsend, Stevie Wonder, and a rousing performance from Jennifer Hudson with a house band led by Rickey Minor.
In presenting the award, Spike Lee celebrated Murphy’s remarkable talent and said, “Eddie and I have Brooklyn in our blood. However, Eddie and I took different paths. Eddie made us laugh and made our nation feel better. I took a camera and told stories about how our nation could be better. We both push culture forward. We’re still not even done.”
Murphy accepted the award to a standing ovation. In his acceptance speech, he said, “Looking out and seeing all my family, all my kids and my beautiful wife. Seeing all the different people that I worked with. This is a special moment. I’d like to thank everybody for this night that I will remember forever and ever.”
The event also included the presentation of the 2026 Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal to AFI Alumnus and Academy Award® winner Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC (AFI Class of 2009). The Schaffner Alumni Medal recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of AFI Alumni who embody the qualities of filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner. Arkapaw’s latest work can be seen in the Academy Award®-winning SINNERS (2025), directed by Ryan Coogler. Arkapaw made history when she became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for her work on the film. Autumn said, “AFI is where I learned how to believe in my gut, to appreciate those people around me who wanted to story tell in new ways. There’s such a beautiful power that comes with finding your community.”
The event concluded with attendees receiving an exclusive commemorative tribute book about Murphy’s career.
The event raised over $2.5 million, and all proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award support the American Film Institute as a nonprofit organization. To donate to AFI, visit AFI.com.
The AFI Life Achievement Award, established by the AFI Board of Trustees in 1973, is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees: “The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”
The official sponsor of the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award Gala dinner was Canva, the all-in-one visual communication platform. The official water sponsor was FIJI Water.
About the AFI Life Achievement Award
The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Board of Trustees established the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1973. It is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees: “The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”
Most recently, AFI presented the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award to Francis Ford Coppola on Saturday, April 26, at a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Icons from across the entertainment world gathered to celebrate Coppola’s legendary career and lasting impact on cinema. Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Spike Lee, Ralph Macchio, Al Pacino, Gia Coppola and Roman Coppola all paid tribute to the five-time Academy Award® winner, with a special performance by Josh Groban. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas presented the award, reflecting on Coppola’s influence on a generation of filmmakers, while the honoree’s daughter, Sofia Coppola, appeared in an exclusive interview segment.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked as one of the top film schools in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
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Eddie Murphy Awarded 51st AFI Life Achievement Award
Eddie Murphy Awarded 51st AFI Life Achievement Award
