Netflix to Broadcast 51st AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards Honoring Eddie Murphy
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Netflix and the American Film Institute (AFI) have announced that the special television program, “51st AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy”, will premiere on Netflix on May 31.
The award will be presented to Eddie Murphy on April 18 during a ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, recognizing his accomplishments in acting and his box office success. This marks the first year the event will be broadcast via Netflix.
Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of AFI, said: “AFI is grateful to Ted Sarandos and the talented team at Netflix for providing this opportunity to share this proud tradition with the world. Honoring Eddie Murphy also allows us to properly highlight the impact of art at a time when the world needs it more than ever.”
According to AFI, Murphy is considered “the most commercially successful African-American actor in the history of the film industry” and ranks among the top five actors in overall box office sales across the industry.
Murphy’s accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dreamgirls, which also earned him his first Academy Award nomination. His notable works include 48 Hrs., Trading Places, Dr. Dolittle, Coming to America, and the Beverly Hills Cop franchise. He has also been nominated multiple times for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performances in various comedy films and provided the voice of “Donkey” in the Shrek animated series. Murphy began his professional career in 1980 as a stand-up comedian and joined the cast of Saturday Night Live at the age of 19. His most recent works include the Netflix documentary Being Eddie and Amazon’s comedy heist film The Pickup.
The AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, regarded as the highest honor for a cinematic career, is presented to artists who have contributed to the advancement of the art of film, maintained sustained professional activity, and earned recognition from scholars, critics, peers, and audiences. The award was presented to Francis Ford Coppola in 2025. Other past recipients include Julie Andrews, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg.
