Adam Sandler will be honoured with prestigious Mark Twain award for his work in comedy

Adam Sandler has been chosen to receive one of the most prestigious honours in comedy.

The Hustle star will be awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.

The prize recognises individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the 19th-century novelist Samuel Clemens, who is best known as Mark Twain.

Sandler, 56, will collect the award during a gala ceremony at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington on 19 March 2023.

Kennedy Center President Deborah F Rutter said: “Adam Sandler has entertained audiences for over three decades with his films, music, and his tenure as a fan favourite cast member on SNL.

“Adam has created characters that have made us laugh, cry, and cry from laughing.”

The awards ceremony is “sure to bring together the best in comedy”, Rutter said, calling it a “laughter-filled evening like no other”.

First presented to Richard Pryor in October 1998, the award is part of the Kennedy Centre Celebration of American Humor.

Several of Sandler’s fellow SNL castmates, including Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Bill Murray, have already been awarded the honour.

Sandler’s most recent film, Hustle, premiered on Netflix in June. The film has seen the actor receive some of his best reviews so far, and led to him picking up the Performer Tribute Award at the 32nd annual Gotham Awards on 28 November.

The basketball drama has been ranked the highest-rated film of Sandler’s entire career by fans on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 93 per cent. Following behind it is Happy Gilmore, with 85 per cent, and Reign Over Me, with a score of 81 per cent.

Sandler has seen success as an actor, producer, comedian, and musician, and his films have grossed over $3bn worldwide.