US actor Denzel Washington receives surprise honorary Palme d'Or in Cannes

The Cannes Film Festival on Monday surprised American actor Denzel Washington with an honorary Palme d’Or to celebrate his four-decade career.

The 70-year-old actor was awarded the prize by director Spike Lee and festival chiefs Thierry Frémaux and Iris Knobloch. “This is my brother, right here", said Lee.

Washington could barely contain his emotion when accepting his Palme d'Or, in what was his first time attending the festival. “This is a total surprise for me", he said.

Before handing over the prize, Frémaux introduced a montage of Washington’s most memorable performances, including in Malcolm X and Mo' Better Blues, two films directed by Spike Lee.

"It's so precious to have you here", Frémaux told Washington when presenting the montage.

Other significant performances include his role in Glory, for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1990, and inTraining Day, which earned him the Best Actor prize at the 2002 Academy Awards.

Washington was in France for the premiere of Lee’s newest film Highest 2 Lowest, which also stars Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera and rapper ASAP Rocky.

The film is screening out of competition in Cannes, and marks Washington's first collaboration with Lee since Inside Man in 2006.

Washington made a lightning trip to the festival on his only day off between two performances of "Othello" on Broadway.

Denzel Washington is the second American actor to receive an honorary Palme d’Or this year, after Robert De Niro, who was celebrated during the festival's opening ceremony.