Eddie Murphy reflects on more than four decades in showbiz in "Being Eddie," streaming Nov. 12 on Netflix.

Eddie Murphy will be honored with a lifetime award from the American Film Institute.

Murphy, 64, will receive the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award at a gala Hollywood dinner on April 18, the film institute announced Friday, Nov. 21.

"Eddie Murphy is an American icon," Kathleen Kennedy, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees, said in a statement that called the comedic actor "a trailblazing force" in "film, television and stand-up comedy. His versatility knows no bounds."

Murphy has been a force across entertainment for more than four decades since bursting into prominence on “Saturday Night Live" in 1980, joining the cast at age 19. The actor is on the short list of Hollywood stars who have appeared in multiple $100 million films, including "Beverly Hills Cop," "The Nutty Professor," "Coming to America," and the "Shrek" movies.

In 2007, Murphy was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for “Dreamgirls.” He missed out on the Oscar, but won a Screen Actors Guild award and a Golden Globe for the role. Currently starring in Netflix’s “Being Eddie” documentary (now streaming), Murphy told USA TODAY that he prefers to avoid award shows.

“Everybody's dressed and acting and fake," he said. "Just being in a room full of famous people is just weird − I don't like it."

Past AFI award winners include George Clooney (2018), Denzel Washington (2019), Julie Andrews (2022), Nicole Kidman (2024) and Francis Ford Coppola (2025).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Trailblazing force' Eddie Murphy to receive lifetime film honor

Reporting by Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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