By Allison Samuels | Photography by Ashley Sky Walker | Styling by Melis Kuris
With a hit television show, a handful of movies in the works and record-breaking tours, Kevin Hart reigns supreme in the field of funnymen. But it’s his story of heartbreak, hard work and survival that makes him larger than life.
On a chilly January night in downtown Los Angeles, just a few feet away from where Kobe Bryant rules the hardwood, comedian/actor (and die-hard Lakers fan) Kevin Hart is holding court outside the L.A. Live theater, smiling broadly and having the time of his life. Tonight is the premiere screening of Hart’s hilarious new BET television series, The Real Husbands of Hollywood in which he stars and for which he writes and produces. If the audience’s response is any indication, Hart has yet another hit on his hands.
Dressed casually in dark jeans, a plaid button-down and a leather vest, the comic appears genuinely moved by the countless kudos, hugs, back slaps and pounds offered by well-wishers including fellow castmates Boris Kodjoe and Duane Martin. Billed as the “fakest reality show ever,” the weekly show is meant to be a mockery of the reality genre, particularly those depicting the over-the-top antics of women married to (or dating or divorced from) rich or powerful men.
“I get that some women don’t know what to do after living in their man’s shadow for so long, particularly if he was famous,” Hart says in between greetings. “I get how they can be talked into doing things that will bring them money and fame. That’s what makes it so sad to watch some of those shows. I can’t believe those women want to be shown in that way!’’ Hart, who appeared on BET’s classic ’90s laugh parade Comic View—which launched the careers of stars such as D.L. Hughley and Cedric The Entertainer—considers Real Husbands less a parody of the Bravo franchise, and more Curb Your Enthusiasm—the 12-years-and-running HBO series by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself.
In other words, the smart money is on Hart.
Over the past few years, the multi-hyphenated funnyman has steadily built a sizeable Hollywood empire, utilizing his intuitive ability to fuse hotbutton, newsworthy moments with side-splitting comedy. Last year, Hart had a starring role in 2012’s breakout film Think Like a Man, which grossed more than $33 million in its opening weekend. He’s also on the, ahem, short list to host awards shows such as the VMAs and the BET Awards.
Yet despite box-office success, sold-out comedy shows, and tonight’s clear win, Hart remains humble and pragmatic. He credits his success to the old saying of preparation meeting opportunity. As a young comic, Hart dedicated countless hours studying tape after tape of stand-up icons including Redd Foxx, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence.
It’s no coincidence each is a legend in his own time, blessed with his own unique brand of humor and each having dominated the entertainment landscape at some point in his career, be it in film, television or on record. “The only way to show respect [for] what you do is [to] study the people who came before you,’’ Hart says. “You can’t be serious in this business without doing the work.”
D&G Jacket; Acne Jeans; Topman shirt; Converse sneakers; Rolex watch (his own)
RELATED: Behind-The-Scenes With Kevin Hart [PHOTO + VIDEO]
Truth be told, Kevin Hart has been doing the work— paying attention and taking notes—for as long as he can remember. One of his first teachable moments came via his father, Henry Hart, whose decades-long battle with cocaine addiction kept him in and out of jail and his sons fatherless. As a result, Kevin and his older brother, Robert (two years Kevin’s senior), were raised by their mother, Nancy, in a working class neighborhood in Philly. It’s a long way from where he sits this afternoon, in the Lobby Lounge of The Langham—the luxurious Pasadena hotel set on 23 gorgeous acres. It’s a serene scene, and for a moment the man of the hour is silent, taking in his present and contemplating his past.
“Everyone suffers when someone is addicted to drugs,” Hart begins as he has many times before. “Anyone connected to that person loses out in some way. But for me, my dad’s life was like this big road map for me to go in the other direction. While a lot of kids looked up to their dads as role models, I looked at my dad and saw who I didn’t want to become. He was hell of a motivator to become something else.”
Hart’s second teachable moment came via the nasty quips and wisecracks from his classmates
regarding his small stature. (He’s now 5’5”.) By some stroke of luck, young Kevin Hart realized early on that he had two choices: He could become sullen, angry and defensive or he could roll with the punches and turn the joke around for maximum results.
“You take the power away from anyone and anything when you can laugh at yourself,” said Hart, whose grade school eventually crowned him class clown. “I’ve always laughed at myself and I’ve invited others to do the same. I know I’m small, but so what? It is what it is! You can’t take yourself so seriously in this life or you will lose it. Laughing at yourself is the cheapest therapy out there, I’m telling you.”
So it should come as no surprise to learn Hart began his career in comedy with the stand-up name “Lil’ Kev.” (“That didn’t go over so well,” he recalls, laughing.) Hart knew he was funny, and that his wit was quicker than most. Years of growing up black, male and short in Philly meant playing the dozens almost daily. He also knew that being funny in high school didn’t necessarily translate into being a working comedian. To make that determination, Hart needed to see the comedy world up close; shortly after graduation, he moved to New York City with a plan: He would attend community college during the day and perform at local comedy clubs at night.
“My question was: Can I be successful in comedy and make a real living doing it?’ Stand-up is really hard work and, sometimes, very unappreciated. I got booed off the stage and a piece of chicken thrown at me one time.” Hart can laugh at the memory now. “You have to know why you’re there and know it’s for the love of comedy and nothing else.”
Not long after relocating to NYC, Hart sent for his high-school sweetheart Torrei; a few years later she and Hart, then both 22, tied the knot. “We’d been together for a while back home and I didn’t want to leave her back there,’’ the comedian remembers. “On some level I knew I was moving on and up and she did too. She didn’t want to be left behind.”
Naked & Famous Jeans; Givenchy Shirt; Rolex watch
Two years after his move to the Big Apple, Hart went pro, officially kicking his career off on amateur night at a comedy club in Philly—his first-ever show back home. Hart reasoned that if the City of Brotherly Love could launch the career of comedy icon Bill Cosby, perhaps it could do the same for him. As it turns out, this was the “chicken bone” show.
“People like Chris Tucker and Dave Chappelle had a huge impact on me while I was coming up,” he explains. “So you go onstage attempting to channel them in your routine because what they did was funny to you. You want those same kind of laughs so you imitate those guys. It takes a moment to realize someone else’s funny doesn’t always work for you.”
As Hart toured small comedy clubs around the country, he learned audiences laughed loudest when he told jokes that bared his soul. Candid stories about his father’s drug use and his mother’s battle with cancer became regular topics in his act, and this vulnerability resonated with his audiences. “I don’t hide anything,” Hart says. “If it happened to me I’ll talk about it, and why shouldn’t I? Nothing has happened to me that hasn’t happened to someone else—I’m not that special. And people want to feel that you feel their pain too,
that you know where they’re coming from.”
Hart soon began winning small acting roles on television shows such as Judd Apatow’s shortlived comedy series Undeclared (2001) and in film, including Paper Soldiers (2002), Scary Movie 3 (2003) and Along Came Polly (2004). But Hart was convinced he’d hit the Hollywood jackpot when he landed the lead role in the 2004 big-budget comedy Soul Plane starring Mo’Nique, Snoop Dogg and D.L. Hughley. In the film, Hart’s character gets stuck in an airplane toilet seat, leading to a lawsuit that wins him enough money to start his own airline.
“I just knew I was on my way to the big time with that movie,” Hart says, shaking his head. “I thought people would get how silly and funny it was and just enjoy it. I thought it would be a huge hit leading to other big hits right after and on and on.”
Instead, Soul Plane, which cost $16 million to make, was universally panned by critics and fans alike. The film was considered demeaning by many in the black community for it’s racial stereotypes. Hart’s blueprint for fame and fortune had taken a nosedive.
“It all stopped right then,” he says. “I had to go backwards at that point, rebuild another fan base through stand-up. It was like starting over from scratch. I felt like I’d just wasted years of my life.”
Spurr Leather Jacket; Alternative Apparel gray shirt; Marc by Marc Jacobs pants; Balmain sneakers
The emotional and financial toll of his faltering career put a strain on his already shaky marriage, a union that now included two small children. “It’s really hard to have someone tell you again and again that success is coming, that they just have to wait a little longer for things to get better. That’s where we were,” Hart recalls. “No woman wants to hear that from a man for too long.”
Hart also admits that he was less than faithful in their seven years of marriage, a fact his ex would use for material in her own comedy career. “My wife was always very supportive of me and never doubted my talent, which I give her all the props for,” he says. “But we were separated a lot in the marriage and just grew apart after a while.”
As if that weren’t enough, Hart’s mother died in 2006 after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Heartbroken, the comedian went back to his roots and found solace in humor. Before long, his shows were bringing in standing-room-only crowds. “My manager wanted me to go to the bigger clubs really quickly but I wanted to wait, build that solid fan base I needed to really do my thing,” Hart says. “I was really careful that time around. No shortcuts. I
couldn’t start over again.”
It wasn’t long before Hollywood came knocking again. Films such as Scary Movie 4 (2006) with Anna Faris and Carmen Electra and Fool’s Gold (2008) starring Kate Hudson gave the fledgling actor’s résumé exactly the boost it needed. Hart also created his own entertainment company, Hartbeat Productions, and began making films and DVDs of his increasingly popular stand-up concerts, including his one-hour Comedy Central special I’m a Grown Little Man (2009) and the wildly successful Laugh at My Pain (2011), wherein the comedian made light of his father’s habit and his mother’s funeral. All told, the film raked in nearly $15 million (with a budget of $700K) and Hart’s sold-out, two-day performance at L.A.’s Nokia Theater broke a sales record previously held by Eddie Murphy.
“It’s important for me to be a businessman and a funnyman,” Hart explains. “You want to have both things working for you in this business. A lot of funny cats before me didn’t have that chance. I do.”
Occasionally, Kevin Hart will have an out-of-body experience. Someone may approach him for an autograph or he’ll take the stage at one of his sold out arena concerts and suddenly he’s “Lil’ Kev” all over again, in awe of his beautiful life.
“I saw myself having success in comedy, but I never saw the crazy things happening for me the way they are now,” he says in earnest. “It didn’t happen overnight but it’s a great ride while it’s moving. You have to enjoy it while you can.”
Of course, Hart shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. He just wrapped several movie roles, a couple of which place him side by side with heavyweights such as Robert De Niro (Grudge Match) and Laurence Fishburne. Fans are hoping for more of his recurring stints as Andre on ABC’s Modern Family, and the cast will soon begin production for Think Like a Man 2.
This time around, Hart is determined to find balance. Since his divorce in 2010, Hart admits he’s happily involved with a new love. “I learned a lot from my marriage,” he admits. “I played a part in its breakdown, [but] I learned to be a better partner. I know now how to argue the right away and how to keep cool in a disagreement with someone you love. I didn’t get that before.” Hart also now counts on the support of his father, who’s been drug-free for more than a decade.
Perhaps most humbling, Hart has the respect of his peers. Marlon Wayans, who met Hart years ago when they were both playing small venues on the comedy-club circuit, says he continues to be amazed at how far his buddy has come. “Thinking about where Kevin was six years ago and seeing him now is amazing. Neither one of us was selling out anything then!” Wayans says, laughing. “Now, Kevin’s the master.”
Still, Hart—who has referred to himself on his Twitter page as the “Sex Symbol Chocolate Drop”—is reluctant to claim his crown as the current king of comedy. “I don’t look at it like I’m the only one out here, because it’s not true,” he says. “There a lot of great young comics out there doing their thing all around the country. There’s always someone waiting in the wings.”
Yoshio Kubo Jacket; BDG shirt; Diesel Jeans
