Julia Louis-Dreyfus to receive Mark Twain Prize for humor

Northwestern grad and “Saturday Night Live” alum Julia Louis-Dreyfus will be the 2018 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, it was announced Wednesday.

The annual prize, named in honor of the iconic author and humorist, honors some of the greatest contemporary comedians for their body of work. This year’s gala ceremony will take place Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C.

“Like Mark Twain, Julia has enriched American culture with her iconic, unforgettable, and outright hilarious brand of humor. Over four decades, her wildly original characters and her gift for physical comedy have left us in stitches. Julia is a role model for so many,” said Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter in the official statement.

Previous recipients include Whoopi Goldberg, Carl Reiner, Bob Newhart, Richard Pryor, Tina Fey, Bill Murray and David Letterman.

“Merely to join the list of distinguished recipients of this award would be honor enough, but, as a student of both American history and literature, the fact that Mr. Twain himself will be presenting the award to me in person is particularly gratifying,” Dreyfus quipped in a statement.

Louis-Dreyfus’ career boasts some of television’s most memorable and critically acclaimed series including “Seinfeld,” “Arrested Development,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and most recently “Veep,” for which the actress has won seven Emmy Awards.