When Hollywood gathers to celebrate one of its own, the tributes tend to follow a familiar playbook: heartfelt speeches, standing ovations, maybe a few tears. Mike Myers threw that playbook out the window on Saturday night.
At the AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony on April 18 honoring Eddie Murphy, Myers arrived dressed as Shrek — green makeup, ogre ears and all — in a tribute to the franchise that paired the two comedy icons for more than two decades.
The moment, captured in footage shared on Reddit, was a showstopper in an evening already packed with them.
‘Eddie Is One of the Greatest’
Myers used his time onstage not just for laughs but for genuine reverence, praising Murphy’s work voicing Donkey in the Shrek franchise.
“None of Shrek’s success could have happened without Eddie Murphy,” Myers said at the ceremony. “Eddie’s character, Donkey, is a masterpiece, as is every character Eddie has created over the years.”
He went further, summing up what makes Murphy singular in the entertainment world.
“Lovable, hilarious, joyous, vulnerable, and loyal. Eddie combines all of those in a tour de force, and plainly put, Eddie is one of the greatest,” Myers said.
He also spoke personally about the partnership: “It is my absolute honor to say and to be able to tell my kids that I got to work with Eddie Murphy.”
A Who’s Who of Comedy Royalty
Myers wasn’t the only one paying tribute. The ceremony drew a roster of Hollywood heavyweights who have crossed paths with Murphy across his nearly 50-year career.
Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Arsenio Hall, Judge Reinhold and Kenan Thompson were among those celebrating Murphy’s legacy. Jennifer Hudson performed a Dreamgirls medley, a nod to the 2006 film starring Murphy, for which he won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.
Murphy received the American Film Institute’s highest honor — a fitting capstone for a career that began with early stand-up success, including performing at major venues like Madison Square Garden. He went on to become a Saturday Night Live cast member for four seasons before dominating the box office with roles in Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor and the Shrek franchise.
The timing of Myers’ green-skinned tribute wasn’t accidental. Shrek 5 has a scheduled theatrical release of June 30, 2027, with Myers, Murphy and Cameron Diaz all returning to the cast.
That the franchise is coming back makes Myers’ gesture land with even more weight. This wasn’t just a look back at a beloved collaboration — it was a reminder that the partnership between Shrek and Donkey still has chapters left to write.
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