Will SmithMTV announced today that it will honor Will Smith with the Generation Award during the “2016 MTV Movie Awards.”

The MTV Generation Award is the "Movie Awards" highest honor, acknowledging an actor who creates an amazing body of work throughout their career that speaks directly to the MTV audience.

The “2016 MTV Movie Awards,” hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, airs on Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT from outdoors on the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, Calif.

“Will Smith and MTV have grown up together and share a very cool history,” said Executive Producer Casey Patterson. “MTV was a part of every phase of Will’s career and he has been a huge part of what defined the MTV culture from the beginning.  From TV’s ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,’ to his music and amazing movies, Will is the voice of a generation and not afraid to use it. The 25th anniversary of the ‘Movie Awards’ is the perfect year to honor #BIGWILLIESTYLE as only MTV can – with lots of big surprises in store.”

Smith is a seventeen-time “MTV Movie Award” nominee and five-time winner, including two wins for “Best Male Performance” ("I Am Legend" in 2008 and "Ali" in 2001).  He also hosted the “1994 MTV Movie Awards” when "Menace II Society" took home the top prize for “Movie of the Year.”

Past recipients of the  Generation Award include Robert Downey Jr., Mark Wahlberg, Jamie Foxx, Johnny Depp, Reese Witherspoon, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Sandra Bullock, Mike Myers, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey.

Official sponsors of the “2016 MTV Movie Awards” include M&M’S Brand, Mountain Dew and Taco Bell.

Casey Patterson, Garrett English and Jane Mun serve as Executive Producers for the “2016 MTV Movie Awards.” Jim Roush serves as Co-Executive producer. Wendy Plaut serves as Co-Executive Producer and Executive in Charge of Celebrity Talent.  Sandy Alouete is Executive in Charge of Music Talent.