Netflix and the American Film Institute have revealed that the televised special, “The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy,” will premiere on Netflix on May 31.
The award will be presented to Murphy at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 18, recognizing Murphy’s accomplishments as an actor and his box office achievements. This is the first year the special will stream on Netflix.
“AFI is grateful to Ted Sarandos and the talented team at Netflix for the opportunity to share this proud tradition with the world,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “And to do so in honor of Eddie Murphy will allow us to shine a proper light on the impact of art at a time the world needs it most.”
According to AFI, Murphy is “the most commercially successful African-American actor in the history of the motion picture business and is one of the industry’s top five box-office performers overall.”
Murphy’s multiple accolades include a Golden Globe and SAG Award for best supporting actor in “Dreamgirls,” which earned him his first Academy Award nomination in the same category. Some of his best-known appearances include “48 Hrs.,” “Trading Places,” “Dr. Dolittle,” “Coming to America,” and the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise, receiving multiple Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy across various films. Murphy also appeared as the voice of Donkey in the “Shrek” franchise. He began his career as a stand-up in 1980 and joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” at 19-years-old. His most recent work includes the Netflix documentary “Being Eddie” and Amazon’s heist comedy “The Pickup.”
Considered the highest honor for a career in film, the AFI Life Achievement Award recognizes talent that has advanced the cinematic arts, demonstrated longevity and been acknowledged by scholars, critics, peers and audiences alike. Most recently, AFI presented the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award to Francis Ford Coppola in 2025. Previous recipients include Julie Andrews, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg.
Source: variety.com
