Mike Myers makes a rare public appearance dressed as Shrek to honour his co-star Eddie Murphy at the AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards

by

Mike Myers stepped out publicly to show his support for Eddie Murphy, who received a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The 62-year-old actor appeared as his famous character Shrek, complete with green makeup and the character’s distinctive large ears.

Mike was a huge star in the late 1990s and early 2000s, known for movies like Austin Powers and Shrek, but he later chose to take on fewer big-budget film roles.

He famously starred opposite Eddie, who voiced Donkey in the hit films.

Eddie received a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute, recognizing his innovative and influential work in comedy and film.

Hollywood celebrated the iconic star, honoring his incredible career and the profound influence he had on the world of entertainment.

Mike stated on stage that Eddie Murphy was crucial to the success of ‘Shrek,’ praising his portrayal of Donkey as a brilliant performance.

Like all of Eddie Murphy’s characters, it was a real privilege to work with him, and I’m thrilled to be able to tell my children about it.

For over twenty years, the Shrek movies have been a huge success for DreamWorks Animation, both financially and with critics. The franchise includes four main films and several other related projects.

Released in May 2001, the first Shrek movie was a huge success, earning $487 million worldwide and winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Released in May 2004, Shrek 2 earned $928 million globally and, like the first film, was a contender for the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival.

As a huge Shrek fan, I remember being so excited for each new movie! Shrek the Third, which came out in May 2007, was a massive hit, earning over $800 million around the world. Then, in May 2010, Shrek Forever After followed, and even though it didn’t quite reach the same heights, it still brought in an impressive $752 million globally. Both were fantastic additions to the series, in my opinion!

Previous movies in the series have been financially successful. For example, Puss in Boots, with Antonio Banderas, earned $555 million worldwide after it came out in October 2011 and was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Released in December 2022, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish earned $484 million worldwide and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.

A fifth Shrek movie is now in the works and is expected to hit theaters in June 2027. Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy are set to return as Shrek and Donkey.

Mike started making fewer big-budget films partly because his movies weren’t as successful when he tried projects outside of his three most popular series.

Since then, he’s popped up occasionally rather than staying constantly in the spotlight. 

He’s recently been in Bohemian Rhapsody, reprised his role as the voice of Shrek for several specials, and appeared in the Netflix series The Pentaverate.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I completely lost it last year! When Saturday Night Live did their big 50th anniversary special, Mike Myers brought back Linda Richman! It was EVERYTHING. I seriously haven’t laughed that hard in ages – seeing her again was just pure magic. I was screaming at the TV, honestly!

The comedian, known for playing the middle-aged host of Coffee Chat back in 1997, recently reprised the role – wig and fake nails included – for a new sketch alongside Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph.

Betty and Jodi, the hosts of Bronx Beat, were back and this time they interviewed Miles Teller, the star of Top Gun: Maverick. However, the interview was interrupted when Linda unexpectedly rushed onto the stage.

Throughout the performance, the character delivered her well-known lines, playfully telling the hosts their skin was incredibly smooth, then becoming emotional and briefly struggling to hold back tears.

Fans were thrilled to see the actor known for playing Shrek – a role he first took on in a show from 1989 to 1995 – reprise the character, and said it was the highlight of their evening.

On X, a fan raved about Mike Myers’ portrayal of Linda Richman, calling her their all-time favorite Saturday Night Live character. They explained that Myers perfectly captures the essence of a New York Jewish woman, and seeing him perform as Richman was a highlight of their evening. The fan playfully described the performance as simply ‘buttah’.

Mike has shared that the character was based on his former mother-in-law, Linda Richman. He even mentioned on Inside the Actors Studio that she used to playfully challenge him to act like the character whenever they were out together.

Read More

2026-04-19 17:34