Philadelphia native Kevin Hart began his stand-up comedy career shortly after graduating from high school, but his path to stardom was defined by turning personal pain into massive success. His comedy tours, particularly 2011’s “Laugh at My Pain,” became one of the most successful of the year, grossing over $15 million. He also launched a blockbuster film career, and in 2019, he ranked 12th on Forbes’ list of highest-paid actors. Here’s more on his journey, from philadelphiaski.
Childhood and Career Beginnings
Kevin Hart was born in Philadelphia on July 6, 1979. He had an older brother, but his parents divorced due to his father’s legal troubles and drug addiction. His mother raised the children on her own, as his father was in and out of prison for most of Kevin’s childhood.
Even then, humor became a way for the young boy to cope with the pain. He listened to many comedians’ performances and learned from their example. It’s worth noting that his father later turned his life around and reconnected with his son. However, Kevin’s experiences stayed with him, becoming a source of inspiration and creative exploration.
After graduating from high school, the young man moved to New York, but he had already started developing his comedy career back in Philadelphia. At the time, he worked as a shoe salesman, writing his first jokes and trying to find his niche in the stand-up world. The beginning was quite difficult, but Kevin didn’t give up.
His jokes caught the interest of Keith Robinson, who became his mentor. Under Keith’s guidance, Hart began creating material based on his own experiences and performing under his own name. He won several amateur comedy competitions and soon became a regular performer at the best clubs in the country.
A Stand-Up and Movie Star
Hart’s work became well-known and popular. His style began to draw comparisons to comedy kings like Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac.
Around this time, ABC offered the comedian a role in the sitcom The Big House. Hart accepted and played a version of himself. However, the show didn’t attract the expected audience attention and was quickly canceled. So, Kevin continued to work in his chosen field:
- In 2006, he released his first stand-up special, titled “I’m a Grown Little Man,” which solidified his status as a top young comedian.
- His second special, “Seriously Funny,” was released four years later and gained even more popularity.
- In 2011, Hart embarked on a tour called “Laugh at My Pain.”
This tour, which made Kevin a true star, was later turned into a concert documentary. Hart delved into his own life story and dared to write jokes about the most sensitive topics. As part of the tour, he visited 90 cities and grossed over $15 million. It was one of the most successful comedy tours of that year. Later, the comedian created film versions of his stand-up shows “Let Me Explain” and “What Now?”.
Parallel to his comedy career, Hart developed as an actor. Noteworthy roles include his parts in the films Scary Movie 3 (2003), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Epic Movie (2007), and Little Fockers (2010). Through these works, Kevin also established himself as a talented and promising comedic actor.
At the same time, he managed to demonstrate the diversity of his talent. In 2012, the romantic comedy The Five-Year Engagement featuring him was released, followed by the comedy The Wedding Ringer in 2015, and the comedy-drama The Upside in 2017. That same year, audiences saw Kevin Hart in the adventure-action film Jumanji, the sequel to which he starred in in 2019. An interesting page in his career was his voice work in the animated film The Secret Life of Pets (2016).
Kevin also appeared on television. In 2012, he hosted the MTV Video Music Awards. A year earlier, he had a role in the comedy series Modern Family. In late 2018, the comedian was invited to host the Academy Awards ceremony, but he had to step down from the opportunity due to a scandal over homophobic jokes he had made early in his career.
Personal Life and a Dangerous Accident
In 2003, Kevin got married. His bride at the time was Torrei Hart, who gave him two children. However, the couple officially divorced in 2011.
In 2014, Kevin announced his engagement to model Eniko Parrish, and they were married two years later. In 2017, Eniko gave birth to a son. Shortly after, Hart publicly admitted to cheating on his wife. Nevertheless, they managed to save their marriage, and in 2020, the couple welcomed a daughter.
The comedian and actor was significantly impacted by a car accident he was involved in in September 2019 in California. Kevin was in the passenger seat of his own car when the driver lost control. The car veered off the road, and Hart sustained major back injuries. Another passenger was not seriously hurt. The injured parties were immediately taken to the hospital.
Kevin only appeared in public again two months later. He subsequently posted videos of his rehabilitation exercises on social media, along with his reflections on life. The actor managed to recover his health and return to work on stage and in film. Now, he values life even more and tries not to waste a single moment.