Overview
- Eddie Murphy’s honor, presented by Spike Lee at the Dolby Theatre on Saturday, drew tributes from Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Kenan Thompson, and others.
- Mike Myers appeared in full Shrek makeup to hail Murphy’s Donkey performance, as Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson delivered surprise musical moments.
- Dave Chappelle offered a personal salute and said Murphy recently urged him to consider a Chappelle’s Show movie, which Chappelle framed as a playful idea rather than a plan.
- An edited version of AFI’s tribute will debut on Netflix on May 31, marking the institute’s first direct-to-streaming release of its Life Achievement special.
- The gala raised more than $2.5 million for AFI’s education programs, according to event organizers, pairing the celebration with support for new filmmakers.