Eddie Murphy honored at star-studded AFI Life Achievement Award gala
April 20 (UPI) -- Emmy- and Grammy-winning actor and comedian Eddie Murphy was honored at this year's AFI Life Achievement Award gala.
Murphy, 65, and his wife Paige Butcher attended the event Saturday at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The AFI Life Achievement Award is presented by the American Film Institute to honor a person's lifetime contribution to film and television.
Murphy came to fame on the NBC late-night sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live and is known for such films as Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor, Dreamgirls and Dolemite is My Name.
Singer and actress Jennifer Hudson, actors Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Kenan Thompson, Keegan-Michael Key, David Alan Grier and Jaafar Jackson, comedians Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock, director Spike Lee and other celebs were on hand to celebrate Murphy.
"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," Lee said while presenting Murphy the award.
The event will stream as the TV special The 51st Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy May 31 on Netflix.
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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 7:28 AM.