Netflix and the American Film Institute (AFI) announced today that the televised special, THE 51st AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: A TRIBUTE TO EDDIE MURPHY, will premiere on Netflix on May 31st, 2026. This marks the first year the Emmy-winning special will stream on the service, bringing the celebration of Murphy’s iconic career to a global audience.
The award will be presented to Murphy at a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 18th, 2026. Eddie Murphy is recognized as one of the most commercially successful actors in the history of the motion picture business and remains one of the industry’s top five box-office performers overall.
“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.”
Proceeds from the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute Gala support AFI’s education and arts initiatives. The official sponsor of the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award Gala dinner is Canva, the all-in-one visual communication platform. The official water sponsor is FIJI Water.
AFI Life Achievement Award Recipients
The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award Honoree joins an esteemed group of individuals who have been chosen for this distinguished honor since its inception.
1973: John Ford
1974: James Cagney
1975: Orson Welles
1976: William Wyler
1977: Bette Davis
1978: Henry Fonda
1979: Alfred Hitchcock
1980: James Stewart
1981: Fred Astaire
1982: Frank Capra
1983: John Huston
1984: Lillian Gish
1985: Gene Kelly
1986: Billy Wilder
1987: Barbara Stanwyck
1988: Jack Lemmon
1989: Gregory Peck
1990: David Lean
1991: Kirk Douglas
1992: Sidney Poitier
1993: Elizabeth Taylor
1994: Jack Nicholson
1995: Steven Spielberg
1996: Clint Eastwood
1997: Martin Scorsese
1998: Robert Wise
1999: Dustin Hoffman
2000: Harrison Ford
2001: Barbra Streisand
2002: Tom Hanks
2003: Robert De Niro
2004: Meryl Streep
2005: George Lucas
2006: Sean Connery
2007: Al Pacino
2008: Warren Beatty
2009: Michael Douglas
2010: Mike Nichols
2011: Morgan Freeman
2012: Shirley MacLaine
2013: Mel Brooks
2014: Jane Fonda
2015: Steve Martin
2016: John Williams
2017: Diane Keaton
2018: George Clooney
2019: Denzel Washington
2022: Julie Andrews
2024: Nicole Kidman
2025: Francis Ford Coppola
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