Axel Foley. Billy Ray Valentine. Prince Akeem Joffer. Professor Sherman Klump. Donkey. These are just a few of the iconic characters Eddie Murphy has brought to life on film over his five-decade career. And soon, fans can see the actor and comedian be recognized for those roles, along with many more.

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced that The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy will premiere on Netflix on May 31. This marks the first year the Emmy–winning televised special will stream on the service, bringing the celebration of Murphy’s illustrious career to a global audience. 

Murphy is one of the most commercially successful actors in history and remains one of the industry’s top five box-office performers overall; he’s starred in multiple $100 million pictures over the past three decades, including Beverly Hills Cop and Daddy Day Care, and won a Golden Globe and earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in Dreamgirls. 

Murphy, who will receive the AFI Life Achievement Award at a gala tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 18, 2026, will certainly be in good company. Recent past recipients include Francis Ford Coppola, Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, and Denzel Washington. According to AFI, this award is given every year to an individual “whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers, and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”  

“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.”

Ahead of The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy, you can get to know more about the actor by streaming Being Eddie. The 2025 Netflix documentary chronicles Murphy’s meteoric rise from teen comic phenom to Saturday Night Live breakout and stand-up supernova to box-office titan. Fans can also revisit some of his past work in Netflix originals, including Dolemite Is My Name, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and You People.