Stevie Wonder, Dave Chappelle, and a host of Hollywood stars gathered at the Dolby Theatre to celebrate Eddie Murphy as he received the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, delivering a night filled with tributes, laughter and emotion.
Presented by Spike Lee, the honour recognised Murphy’s decades-long influence in comedy and film. Fellow comedian Dave Chappelle described Murphy as one of his “heroes,” recalling, “When I was 14 years old, ‘Raw’ came out and I would go, and I would watch it every day after school like I was taking a class… I knew, somehow, this was something really important in my life.”
Music legend Stevie Wonder drew laughter as he reflected on Murphy’s early impressions of him, joking, “He made fun of a blind man!” He added, “It’s not easy to make people smile… but Eddie has a way of getting in our head and hearts to create a belly laugh that eases the pain… That is power, that is courage, and that is the funny man, my friend.”
Other stars, including Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan and Eva Longoria, shared personal stories highlighting Murphy’s legacy.
Taking the stage, Murphy reflected on his life and career, saying, “I feel like it’s raining blessings on me,” before joking, “If you made me wait until I was 92, I would’ve come out here and said fuck everybody… and then I’d get down and shit on the floor.”
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