Actor and popular stand-up comedian Eddie Murphy has been tapped to receive the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award, marking a major honour for his career.

Murphy will be honoured by the American Film Institute at a gala tribute ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on April 18, 2026, two weeks after his 65th birthday.

He will also become the fourth Black recipient of the honour, following the likes of Sidney Poitier (1992), Morgan Freeman (2011) and Denzel Washington (2019), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Others to receive the award include Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, John Williams, Martin Scorsese, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, AI Pacino and Julie Andrews.

Last year, Francis Ford Coppola received the AFI Life Achievement Award.

The award is given to a single honouree every year to recognise talent that has furthered the cinematic arts, demonstrated longevity, and is acknowledged by scholars, critics, peers, and audiences alike.

"Eddie Murphy is an American icon. A trailblazing force in the art forms of film, television and stand-up comedy, his versatility knows no bounds. Across five decades, his enduring impact on our culture has inspired artists and audiences alike, and AFI is proud to honour him with the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award," Kathleen Kennedy, the chair of AFI's board of trustees, said in a statement.

Murphy, who rose to stardom with his stint on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s, swiftly made his way into acting. Even though he remained focused on stand-up in his initial years, he later made it big with blockbusters such as Beverly Hills Cop 2, Coming to America, and The Nutty Professor.

In the most recent, Murphy was part of the 2025 Netflix documentary Being Eddie, followed by the Amazon Prime action-comedy feature The Pickup.

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