Julia Louis-Dreyfus is this year's recipient of the Mark Twain Prize.
The title is awarded annually for achievement in American humour by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
"Like Mark Twain, Julia has enriched American culture with her iconic, unforgettable, and outright hilarious brand of humour," the president of the Kennedy Center, Deborah F. Rutter, said in a statement. "Over four decades, her wildly original characters and her gift for physical comedy have left us in stitches."
Louis-Dreyfus responded to the news on Twitter, saying it is "insanely exciting."
Louis-Dreyfus is best known for her starring roles in shows like Seinfeld and Veep. She also appeared on critically acclaimed comedy shows like Saturday Night Live, Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
She will be presented with the award at a ceremony on October 21.
Louis-Dreyfus is expected to return to film the final season of Veep this August. The show went on hiatus last year, while the star underwent treatment for breast cancer.
Past winners of the award include Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, David Letterman, Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. Bill Cosby received the award in 2009, but recently became the first recipient to have the title revoked after he was convicted of sexual assault earlier this year.
The title is awarded annually for achievement in American humour by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
"Like Mark Twain, Julia has enriched American culture with her iconic, unforgettable, and outright hilarious brand of humour," the president of the Kennedy Center, Deborah F. Rutter, said in a statement. "Over four decades, her wildly original characters and her gift for physical comedy have left us in stitches."
Louis-Dreyfus responded to the news on Twitter, saying it is "insanely exciting."
Well, this is insanely exciting. https://t.co/aqZUlJEwxd
— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) May 23, 2018
Louis-Dreyfus is best known for her starring roles in shows like Seinfeld and Veep. She also appeared on critically acclaimed comedy shows like Saturday Night Live, Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
She will be presented with the award at a ceremony on October 21.
Louis-Dreyfus is expected to return to film the final season of Veep this August. The show went on hiatus last year, while the star underwent treatment for breast cancer.
Past winners of the award include Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, David Letterman, Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. Bill Cosby received the award in 2009, but recently became the first recipient to have the title revoked after he was convicted of sexual assault earlier this year.