Kevin Hart Biography 2024: Age, Net Worth, Family, Education, Personal Life, Height, Career, Comedy Life and Awards
Kevin Hart, born on July 6, 1979, is an American comedian and actor who rose to fame after winning various stand-up comedy competitions.
His career took off when Judd Apatow gave him a recurring role in the TV series Undeclared (2001).
Since then, he has appeared in numerous films including Paper Soldiers (2002), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Soul Plane (2004), In the Mix (2005), Little Fockers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012), Grudge Match (2013), Ride Along (2014), About Last Night (2014), Get Hard (2015), Central Intelligence (2016), The Secret Life of Pets film franchise (2016–2019), Ride Along 2 (2016), Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017), the Jumanji film franchise (2017–present), and Night School (2018).
Additionally, he is known for creating and starring as a fictionalized version of himself in Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013–2016).
| Birth name | Kevin Darnell Hart |
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| Born | July 6, 1979 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Education | Community College of Philadelphia |
| Years active | 2001–present |
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| Spouse | Torrei Hart (m. 2003; div. 2011) Eniko Parrish (m. 2016) |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | kevinhartnation.com |
Hart’s comedic renown further expanded when he unveiled his debut stand-up album titled “I’m a Grown Little Man” in 2009.
Subsequently, he has released four additional comedy albums: “Seriously Funny” (2010), “Laugh at My Pain” (2011), “Let Me Explain” (2013), and “What Now?” (2016).
Time magazine recognized his influence by including him in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2015.
In 2017, Hart collaborated with Lionsgate to launch the Laugh Out Loud Network, a subscription-based video streaming service.
Early Life
Kevin Darnell Hart was born in Philadelphia on July 6, 1979. He is the son of Nancy Hart, who passed away in 2007, and Henry Robert Witherspoon.
Hart has an older brother named Robert. Raised in a single-parent household, his mother worked as a systems analyst for the Office of Student Registration and Financial Services at the University of Pennsylvania.
Throughout most of Hart’s childhood, his father, who was a cocaine addict, was in and out of jail. This prompted Hart to use humor as a coping mechanism for his troubled family life.
However, his relationship with his father improved after his father recovered from his addiction. In his stand-up routine, Hart also talks about his mother, portraying her as a loving yet intimidating woman.
After graduating from George Washington High School, Hart briefly attended the Community College of Philadelphia before deciding to drop out and move to New York City.
While there were claims that Hart lived in Brockton, Massachusetts, he clarified later on that he had never actually lived there. During this time, he worked as a shoe salesman.
Influences
Legal Issues
On April 14, 2013, Hart faced charges of driving under the influence after his car came close to colliding with a tanker truck on a freeway in Southern California.
He did not pass a field sobriety test and was arrested for misdemeanor DUI. On August 5, he received a three-year probation sentence after pleading no contest to one charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Personal Life
Hart tied the knot with Torrei in 2003, but unfortunately, they decided to end their marriage in 2010 due to irreconcilable differences.
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During their divorce proceedings, Hart sought joint custody of their two children, a daughter who was born in 2005 and a son who was born in 2007.
The divorce was officially concluded in November 2011.
Moving forward, on August 18, 2014, Hart got engaged to Eniko Parrish.
They exchanged vows on August 13, 2016, in a ceremony held near Santa Barbara, California. Their first child arrived on November 21, 2017.
However, just a month later, Hart publicly confessed to being unfaithful to Parrish while she was pregnant with their son.
Despite this, they managed to reconcile and welcomed their second child, a daughter, on September 29, 2020.
Aside from his personal life, Hart has developed a passion for poker since approximately 2010.
He has participated in notable tournaments like the WSOP, where he earned $4,783 in 2014.
Additionally, he engages in cash games, particularly those organized by PokerStars, and even became their Brand Ambassador in 2017.
This role led him to feature in various PokerStars advertisements and promotional content, often alongside Usain Bolt.
As of September 2020, Hart has accumulated $47,828 in live tournament winnings.
Furthermore, Hart is an outspoken follower of Christianity and has openly discussed his faith.
Injuries
On September 1, 2019, Hart was a passenger in a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda that veered off Mulholland Highway and rolled down an embankment near Calabasas, California.
Both he and the driver sustained significant back injuries and were transported to different hospitals.
Hart was discharged from the hospital ten days later and proceeded with his recuperation at a rehabilitation facility.
On August 23, 2023, Hart engaged in a 40-yard race alongside former NFL running back Stevan Ridley, resulting in a tear in his lower abdominal muscles.
As part of his recovery, he relied on a wheelchair and candidly expressed that he considered himself the “most foolish individual alive” and acknowledged the reality of aging at 40.
He strongly advised against anyone attempting a similar race.
Work
Comedy
Specials
- I’m a Grown Little Man (2009)
- Seriously Funny (2010)
- Laugh at My Pain (2011)
- Let Me Explain (2013)
- What Now? (2016)
- Irresponsible (2019)
- Zero F**ks Given (2020)
- Reality Check(2023)
Television series
- Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013–2016, 2022) (with Chris Spencer)
Discography
- Kevin Hart: What Now? (The Mixtape Presents Chocolate Droppa) (2016)
Bibliography
- I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons (2017)
- The Decision: Overcoming Today’s BS for Tomorrow’s Success (2020)
- Marcus Makes a Movie (2021)
- Marcus Makes It Big (2022)
- Monsters and How to Tame Them: Taking Charge of the Voices in Your Head (2022)
Tours
- What Now? Tour (2015–2016)
- Irresponsible Tour (2017–2018)
- Reality Check Tour (2022–2023)
Career
Hart’s initial attempt at stand-up comedy occurred at The Laff House in Philadelphia, where he performed under the alias Lil Kev, but unfortunately, it did not go as planned.
His career faced a slow start, with instances of being booed offstage and even having food thrown at him.
Despite these setbacks, Hart persevered by participating in comedy competitions across Massachusetts, gradually winning over audiences.
It took time for Hart to cultivate his own comedic style, moving away from imitating others like Chris Tucker to exploring his own vulnerabilities and life stories.
As he once expressed, “My work requires transparency. Currently, my life is an open book that is still being written.”
Hart embarked on his comedy tours in 2009 with his show “I’m a Grown Little Man,” followed by “Seriously Funny” in 2010, “Laugh at My Pain” in 2011, and “Let Me Explain” in 2013, the latter two also being adapted into feature films for theaters.
The success of “Laugh at My Pain” saw Hart earn over $15 million, establishing it as one of the highest-grossing comedy tours of the year.
Additionally, Hart expanded his reach with the release of a game called “Little Jumpman” on iTunes, linking it to his social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Many international fans discovered Hart through his content on YouTube.
The What Now? Tour, a comedy world tour by Hart, commenced on April 9, 2015, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
It concluded on August 7, 2016, at the Columbus Civic Center in Columbus, Georgia.
On July 16, 2015, Universal Pictures made an announcement that Kevin Hart: What Now?, a stand-up comedy film showcasing a performance from Hart’s What Now? Tour, would be released in theaters in the United States on October 14, 2016.
The show was recorded live on August 30, 2015, in front of an audience of 53,000 people at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
Hart made a guest appearance in the 2002 sitcom, Undeclared. His first film role was in the 2002 film Paper Soldiers. Following that, he had roles in various
films including the Scary Movie franchise, Soul Plane, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Death at a Funeral, and Little Fockers.
He declined a role in the 2008 film Tropic Thunder due to his own “insecurities” about playing a gay character.
In 2012, Hart played the character Doug in the film The Five-Year Engagement and also appeared in the successful box office film Think Like a Man.
He had a cameo as himself in This Is the End. In 2013, he portrayed a boxing promoter in Grudge Match and appeared in Exit Strategy as Mannequin Head Man. He also had a role in 35 and Ticking.
In 2014, Hart starred as Ben in Ride Along, alongside Ice Cube. Although the film received negative reviews from critics, it was a major success at the box office.
He reprised his role in the sequel, Ride Along 2, which was released in 2016.
In 2013, Hart co-created the show Real Husbands of Hollywood with Chris Spencer. The series features Hart and other married celebrities playing fictionalized versions of themselves.
Some of the celebrities included Boris Kodjoe, Nelly, Duane Martin, J.B. Smoove, Nick Cannon, and Robin Thicke.
Thicke did not return for the second season due to his music career, but Hart has expressed that the door is open for his return.
The show is intentionally filmed in a style similar to Bravo’s The Real Housewives and often revolves around Hart’s character’s unsuccessful attempts to climb the celebrity social ladder, as well as his jealousy towards his more successful friends.
A sneak peek of the show was shown during the 2012 BET Awards and the official promo was released in October 2012.
In 2015, Hart appeared in the films Get Hard alongside Will Ferrell and The Wedding Ringer.
The following year, in 2016, he took on roles in Central Intelligence, co-starring Dwayne Johnson, and the animated film The Secret Life of Pets.
Moving on to 2017, Hart was featured in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, lending his voice, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, where he reunited with Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Dwayne Johnson.
His earnings for 2017 were estimated at $32.5 million.
During 2018, Hart ventured into film production with his first project under HartBeat Productions, Night School.
Later that year, it was revealed that he had secured a first-look deal with Nickelodeon through his production company.
This agreement would involve the development and production of live-action, scripted kids content for the network.
Additionally, Hart holds a first-look film deal with Universal Studios.
In 2019, Hart starred in The Upside, marking his first leading role in a drama, alongside Bryan Cranston and Nicole Kidman.
He also returned to voice Snowball in the sequel to The Secret Life of Pets.
Fast forward to 2021, Hart took on the lead role in Fatherhood, a drama depicting a man’s journey after his wife’s passing shortly after childbirth, leaving him to raise their daughter alone. The film premiered on Netflix on June 18, 2021.
In 2017, Hart established Laugh Out Loud, a global media and production company aimed at providing opportunities for top comedic talent of all ethnicities worldwide.
Originally in partnership with Lionsgate, Hart acquired majority ownership in 2019 by purchasing most of Lionsgate’s stake.
LOL encompasses various media channels, including digital, audio, linear, and experiential, through its four divisions: LOL Network, LOL Studios, LOL Audio, and LOL X!
Hart has significantly broadened LOL’s presence since its inception, securing partnership agreements with PlutoTV, Roku, Snap, Facebook, Peacock, and YouTube. In 2020, he extended his company’s contract with Sirius XM.
The network has launched successful shows like Cold As Balls, which has garnered over one billion YouTube views, Kevin Hart: Lyft Legend, What the Fit, and Straight From The Hart.
LOL has received numerous accolades, nominations, and awards from organizations such as the Producers Guild of America, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Realscreen, Streamy, and Webby.
Recognized for content like Cold As Balls, What the Fit, Die Hart, and more, the company has accumulated over 1 billion video views across its digital platforms and has collaborated with brand partners like AT&T, Headspace, Lyft, Old Spice, P&G, and Viacom.
Laugh Out Loud and Hartbeat Productions merged in April 2022, forming Hartbeat, which includes Hartbeat Studios, Hartbeat Media, and Hartbeat Pulse.
In August 2022, Hart House, a vegan restaurant, was launched by Hart with the aim of establishing a restaurant chain that could rival fast-food chains by providing delicious plant-based alternatives.
The restaurant, situated in Los Angeles, California, just a mile away from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), offers a straightforward menu consisting of veggie burgers and Chick’n products.
The restaurant prides itself on its offerings being completely devoid of cholesterol, antibiotics, hormones, artificial colors, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, or trans fats. These offerings are inspired by Hart’s personal commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Net Worth
Hart has a net worth of $450 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
3 Hart’s fortune comes from films, comedy tours, brand partnerships, and his businesses, which include his own venture capital firm, a production company, and a vegan restaurant chain, among others.
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