Eddie Murphy to Receive Career Achievement Award at the Celebration of Black Cinema

Nia Long, Kasi Lemmons and Chiwetel Ejiofor will also be honored at the Dec. 2 ceremony celebrating more than 100 years of black cinema and honoring the achievements of 2019

Eddie Murphy is set to receive the Career Achievement Award at the Celebration of Black Cinema on Monday, Dec. 2, the Critics Association announced Tuesday.

Murphy will receive the event's biggest honor as a tribute to his roles over the years, most recently his portrayal of Rudy Ray Moore in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name. "Murphy’s performance helps shed light on an era when black artists were pioneering new-found ways to reach black audiences and tell their own stories. He has continued to impress critics and audiences alike, all while blazing the trail for those who have come after him," the Critics Association said of Murphy in their press release.

The Critics Association will celebrate more than 100 years of black cinema and honor the achievements of 2019 at the ceremony. Four individuals will be honored for their outstanding achievements in film.

Apart from Murphy, Nia Long will also be honored for her performance as Eunice Garrett in Apple’s The Banker; Kasi Lemmons will be honored for her achievement in directing Focus Features’ Harriet; and Chiwetel Ejiofor will be honored for his feature film directorial and screenwriting debut and his performance in Netflix’s The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

"The Critics Choice Association is thrilled to help celebrate a century of black cinema," said CCA CEO Joey Berlin. "It is a privilege to honor Eddie Murphy, Kasi Lemmons, Nia Long, and Chiwetel Ejiofor for their remarkable work this year and throughout their careers. Each in their own way — through comedy and drama, in front of and behind the camera — exemplify the range and power of African American themed movies and their importance in popular culture."

The Celebration of Black Cinema will pay homage to both Oscar Micheaux and more than 100 years of Black Cinema. Micheaux is credited by many as the first African American to make a feature length film — The Homesteader — in 1919. Micheaux wrote wrote, produced and directed 44 films throughout his career between 1919 and 1948.

Cheryl Boone Isaacs, former president of the Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, will host the event. The Celebration of Black Cinema will take place Monday, Dec. 2, at the new Landmark Annex (part of The Landmark theater complex) in Los Angeles. The evening will benefit the UCLA Film & Television Archive and its commitment to the preservation of cinema.