Mark Twain Prize for Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus holds the record for the most Emmys ever won by a single performer. She also has a Peabody Award, Golden Globe and nine Screen Actors Guild awards. This fall, she will add the most prestigious award in comedy to her collection: the Kennedy Center’s 2018 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

“Like Mark Twain, Julia has enriched American culture with her iconic, unforgettable and outright hilarious brand of humor,” said Deborah Rutter, president of the Kennedy Center, in the announcement Wednesday. “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, and we look forward to honoring her on Oct. 21.”

Louis-Dreyfus, 57, caught her big break at 21, joining the “Saturday Night Live” cast for three years, but became a household name in the 1990s playing the self-absorbed Elaine Benes on “Seinfeld.”

“The New Adventures of Old Christine” ran from 2005 to 2010, and two years later, Louis-Dreyfus took on what is widely considered the strongest role of her career: the rather inept Vice President Selina Meyer on HBO’s “Veep.” Louis-Dreyfus has won six awards for acting in the series and three as a producer. (She has been nominated for 24 Emmys total.)

Last year’s Mark Twain Prize went to David Letterman, who joined the ranks of Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Carol Burnett and others.

The actress said in a statement: “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.”

RICHARD SHOTWELL/INVISION