Eddie Murphy, 65, was honored with the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award at a star-studded gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 18, 2026. The ceremony celebrated Murphy’s nearly 50-year career — from stand-up and Saturday Night Live to hits including Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor and the Shrek franchise. Spike Lee presented the award and tributes came from peers including Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Kenan Thompson, Arsenio Hall and Mike Myers; Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson also offered musical praise and performances. Dave Chappelle publicly pitched Murphy on joining a potential Chappelle’s Show reboot during the event. The evening included clip reels, anecdotes and raised more than $2.5 million for AFI’s nonprofit education programs. The tribute will stream as a Netflix special on May 31. AFI also presented cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw with the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal. Throughout the night speakers underscored Murphy’s influence across generations and his role in expanding opportunities for Black performers in film and comedy.

Eddie Murphy received the American Film Institute’s 51st Life Achievement Award at a star-studded gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on the night of April 18, 2026. Spike Lee presented the trophy while fellow performers and friends — including Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart, Martin Lawrence, Arsenio Hall, Bill Burr, Mike Myers and Stevie Wonder — paid tribute across clips and speeches. Jennifer Hudson performed a Dreamgirls medley. The evening traced Murphy’s near-50-year career from breakout stand-up and Saturday Night Live to box-office hits such as Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor and voice work in Shrek, and noted his recent honors and family milestones after turning 65. The gala raised more than $2.5 million for AFI’s nonprofit education programs. AFI said the tribute will be presented as a Netflix special on May 31, and Dave Chappelle publicly floated the idea of involving Murphy in a potential Chappelle’s Show reboot during the ceremony.

French actress Nadia Farès, best known for her breakout role in Mathieu Kassovitz’s thriller The Crimson Rivers, has died at 57, her daughters said. Farès was found unconscious in the pool of a private gym in Paris on April 11 and was taken to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where she was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a reported cardiac arrest. Her daughters Cylia and Shana Chasman confirmed her death on April 17 in a statement to Agence France‑Presse. Authorities have opened an inquiry into the circumstances of the incident; officials have said no sign of foul play has been identified so far. Born in Marrakesh in 1968 and raised in Nice, Farès built a cross‑border career in French and international films and television, with credits including War, Storm Warning, Marseille and Luther. She had publicly discussed past health problems, including brain surgery for an aneurysm in 2007 and multiple heart operations. Farès had been preparing to make her feature directorial debut later this year.

Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron has opened up about the night her mother, Gerda, shot and killed her father, Charles Theron, in an account published in The New York Times on April 18, 2026. Theron, now 50, recounts events from June 21, 1991, when she was 15: her intoxicated father allegedly broke into the family home in South Africa, firing through steel doors and signaling he intended to kill them. Theron says her mother retrieved a gun from a safe; one shot ricocheted and struck the father’s brother in the hand, and her mother then shot Charles. The killing was later ruled self-defence and no charges were brought. Theron describes long-term verbal abuse in the household but says she is “not haunted” by the trauma and speaks about it to help others. She moved to Europe at 16 and later built a film career in Hollywood. In the interview she frames the story as part of broader domestic-violence realities and reiterates her advocacy work on behalf of survivors.

Bollywood stars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announced on April 19, 2026, that they are expecting their second child. The couple shared a joint Instagram post showing their daughter, Dua Padukone Singh, holding a positive pregnancy test; the image was captioned only with protective “evil eye” emojis and quickly went viral, drawing congratulatory messages from fans and fellow celebrities. The pair, who married in November 2018, welcomed Dua on Sept. 8, 2024. Media reports on the same day said Deepika is balancing work commitments with the pregnancy: some outlets reported she has begun shooting action sequences for Atlee’s pan‑India film Raaka and will continue work on Siddharth Anand’s King, with productions said to be taking precautions and adjusting schedules. Other reports variably suggested portions of her filming are complete and that plans for a maternity break are being discussed. Ranveer, meanwhile, remains in the spotlight following consecutive box‑office hits. No official due date or further family details have been released by the couple.

Nathalie Baye, one of France’s most celebrated actresses, has died at 77, her family told AFP. Baye died on the evening of Friday, April 17, 2026, at her home in Paris after a battle with Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disease. Over a five-decade career she appeared in around 80 films, winning four César awards and earning international recognition for roles in François Truffaut’s Day for Night and Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, in which she played Leonardo DiCaprio’s mother. Her later work included roles in Xavier Dolan films, Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) and the 2023 Franco-Lebanese drama Mother Valley. Baye’s career bridged French New Wave auteurs and contemporary cinema; she was also known for a high-profile relationship with rock star Johnny Hallyday and is survived by daughter Laura Smet. French President Emmanuel Macron, Culture Minister Catherine Pégard and many colleagues paid tribute following the announcement.