Kevin Hart (actor)
| Kevin Hart | |
|---|---|
 Hart attends the Chicago premiere of the film Think Like a Man at Showplace Icon Theater in Chicago, Illinois on April 11, 2012 |
|
| Born | July 3, 1980 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Spouse(s) | Torrei Hart (m. 2003–2011) |
| Children | Heaven Leigh Hart (b. 2005) Hendrix Hart (b. 2008) |
Kevin Hart (born July 3, 1980)[1] is an American actor and comedian. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hart began his career by winning several amateur comedy competitions at clubs throughout New England, culminating in his first real break in 2000 when he was cast by Judd Apatow for a recurring role on the TV series Undeclared. The series lasted only one season, but he soon landed other roles in movies like Paper Soldiers, Scary Movie 3, Along Came Polly and Soul Plane. His comedic reputation continued to grow with the release of his first stand-up album I'm a Grown Little Man in 2008. This was followed by Seriously Funny in 2010, and in 2011 Laugh at My Pain.[2]
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Early life [edit]
Kevin Hart was born on July 3, 1980, in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to single mother Nancy. He has one older brother, Robert Hart. His father Harry, a cocaine addict, was in and out of jail throughout most of Kevin's childhood. Kevin used his natural ability to make people laugh as a coping mechanism to deal with his family struggles and to stay out of trouble.[3] After high school he moved to New York City to attend Community College[4], graduating two years later. He then moved to Brockton, Massachusetts and found work as a shoe salesman. He began pursuing a career in stand-up comedy after performing at an amateur night at a club in Philadelphia.[5]
Stand-up career [edit]
Hart's first gig was at The Laff House in Philadelphia under the name of Lil Kev, which didn't go well.[6] His career suffered a slow start, as he was booed off stage several times, once even having a piece of chicken thrown at him.[7] After those initial unsuccessful shows, Hart began entering comedy competitions throughout Massachusetts, and his fortunes soon turned for the better.[4]
It took time for Hart to develop a unique comedic style. After an early period of attempting to imitate comedians like Chris Tucker, he found his own rhythm by delving into his insecurities and life experiences. "Because of what I do, it has to be an open book," he has said. "But right now this is a book that is being written."[7]
Hart draws his inspiration from role models like fellow Philadelphian Bill Cosby, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, and Dave Chappelle.[7] He strives to combine the best qualities of all these men into his own act. "When you talk about your flaws, people gravitate towards you," Hart said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. "I'm just not that manly man." This humility may be somewhat attributed to his short stature, being that he stands five feet, four inches.[8]
Hart's comedy tours began in 2009 with his act titled "I'm a Grown Little Man," followed by "Seriously Funny" in 2010, "Laugh At My Pain" in 2011, and most recently, his TV special titled "Let Me Explain" in early 2012.[6] Hart grossed over $15 million from "Laugh At My Pain," making it one of the year's top-selling comedy tours.[3] Hart also has a game available through iTunes called "Little Jumpman." His Facebook page, Twitter account, and Youtube channel are all connected to and accessible through this app.[5]
Personal life [edit]
In 2003, Hart married Torrei Hart and they had two children, Heaven Leigh and Hendrix. In February 2010 the couple filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Hart requested joint custody and looked to prevent Torrie from receiving money in the divorce due to the fact that she is a comedian herself with sufficient income to support herself. The pair's relationship troubles have made their way into both their stand-up acts. Even though negative remarks were made about one another during the course of the divorce proceedings, Hart says there are no hard feelings, stating, "We just didn't work out, but we're friends."[9]
Hart's relationship with his father is much better now that the latter has recovered from his addiction. He said in an interview with The New York Times, "My dad said, 'I was supposed to be on drugs.' I was like, 'Dad, shut up,' but then I thought about it, and it was stupid, but it made sense. He was saying that basically he was my example to never go down that road."[6]
Hart also talks about his mother in his stand-up routine, portraying her as a loving though intimidating woman. In 2006 she succumbed to cancer.[6]
On April 14, 2013, Hart was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after his black Mercedes nearly collided with a tanker trunk on a Southern California freeway. Hart failed a field sobriety test and was booked for misdemeanor DUI. He was released Sunday afternoon after payment of a $5,000 bond.[10]
Awards and honors [edit]
In 2005, he was nominated for the BET Platinum Mic Viewers' Choice Award.
In 2012 Hart was named MVP of the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game regardless of the fact that he was ejected in the fourth quarter for cursing at the referee and taking off one of his shoes and throwing the other across the court. He scored eight points and had six assists in the game.[11]
Hart then hosted the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. His longtime friend Judd Apatow, the director who gave him his first big on-screen break in the TV series Undeclared, was the one who recommended him for the gig.[8] Hart hopes that this will project him further into a side career as an emcee, stating, "Hopefully after MTV, of course we’re talking Emmys, Oscars, whatever."[6]
In 2012, Hart won a Best Actor trophy at the BET Awards for his performance in the box-office hit movie Think Like a Man.
Filmography [edit]
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Paper Soldiers | Shawn | |
| 2003 | Scary Movie 3 | CJ | |
| Death of a Dynasty | P-Diddy / Cop 1 / Dance Coach / Hyper Rapper / H. Lector | ||
| 2004 | Along Came Polly | Vic | |
| Soul Plane | Nashawn Wade | ||
| 2005 | The 40 Year Old Virgin | Smart Tech Customer | |
| In The Mix | Busta | ||
| 2006 | Scary Movie 4 | CJ | |
| 2006 | The Last Stand | F Stop/G Spot | |
| 2007 | Epic Movie | Silas | |
| 2008 | Fool's Gold | Bigg Bunny | |
| Superhero Movie | Trey | ||
| Extreme Movie | Barry | ||
| Meet Dave | Number 17 | ||
| Drillbit Taylor | Pawn Shop Dealer | ||
| 2009 | Party Down | Dro Grizzle | |
| Not Easily Broken | Tree | ||
| Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire | Zezelryck | ||
| I'm A Grown Little Man | Himself | ||
| 2010 | Something Like a Business | JoJo | |
| Death at a Funeral | Brian | ||
| Little Fockers | Nurse Louis | ||
| Seriously Funny | Himself | ||
| 2011 | 35 and Ticking | Cleavon | |
| Let Go | Kris Styles | ||
| The Precious One | Precious McKenzie | ||
| Laugh at My Pain | Himself | ||
| 2012 | The Five-Year Engagement | Doug | |
| Think Like a Man | Cedric | Teen Choice Award for Choice Hissy Fit | |
| Exit Strategy | Mannequin Head Man | ||
| Let Me Explain | Himself | ||
| 2013 | This Is the End | Himself | |
| 2014 | Ride Along | ||
| About Last Night | |||
| Think Like a Man Too | Cedric | ||
| TV Shows/Program | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Show | Role | |
| 2001 | North Hollywood (movie) | Himself | |
| 2002 | Class of '06 (movie) | Tony | |
| 2002 | Undeclared | Luke | |
| 2004 | The Big House | Kevin | |
| 2005 | Dante (movie) | ||
| 2005 | Barbershop | James Ricky | |
| 2005 | Jake In Progress | Nugget Dawson | |
| 2006 | Love, Inc. | James | |
| 2006 | Help Me Help You | Kevin | |
| 2007 | The Weekend (movie) | Miles | |
| 2007 | All of Us | Greg | |
| 2009 | Party Down | Dro Grizzle | |
| 2009 | Kröd Mändoon and The Flaming Sword of Fire | Zezelryck | |
| 2010 | Cubed | Security Guard | |
| 2011 | Untitled Burr and Hart Project (movie) | ||
| 2011 | Little in Common (movie) | Ty Burleson | |
| 2011 | Modern Family | Andre | |
| 2013 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Kevin | |
| 2013 | Saturday Night Live | Himself | |
References [edit]
- ^ "Kevin Hart". Yahoo!. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ^ Cummings, Jozen. "Career Breakdown: Kevin Hart's Long, Complicated, Hit-and-Miss-and-Hit-Again Path to Stardom". Grantland. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
- ^ a b Pullen, Doug (October 18, 2012). "Kevin who? Comedian Kevin Hart's soaring career emerges from under the radar". El Paso Times. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ a b Johnson, Keosha. "TheGrio's 100: Kevin Hart, Philly comedian sees the humor in life experiences". NBC. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ a b "About Kevin Hart". Comedy Central. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Itzkoff, Dave (October 18, 2012). "Life Sends Lemons? Make Comedy". New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ a b c Gomez, Luis (October 18, 2012). "Interview: Kevin Hart not shy about past flubs". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
- ^ a b Weiner, Jonah (31). "VMA 2012 Host Kevin Hart Is Judd Apatow's Favorite Vertically Challenged Comic". Rolling Stone (Rolling Stone's Big Issue). Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- ^ "Kevin Hart Divorce: Talks Split On 'The Rosie Show'". Huffington Post. January 20, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ^ Drunken driving arrest a 'wake-up' call, comedian Kevin Hart says, CNN, April 15, 2013.
- ^ James, Michael. "Kevin Hart ejected from NBA Celeb Game, still named MVP". Holdout Sports. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ^ "Kevin Hart: Actor". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
