Kevin Darnell Hart was born on July 6, 1979, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised by his mother, Nancy Hart, a systems analyst at the University of Pennsylvania, Hart faced a challenging childhood due to his father's struggles with cocaine addiction. Despite his father's frequent incarcerations, Hart maintained a sense of humor that later became his coping mechanism. His relationship with his father improved significantly after his father overcame his addiction.

Hart attended George Washington High School and briefly attended the Community College of Philadelphia before dropping out to pursue a career in comedy. He initially aspired to be a basketball player and even attended the La Salle basketball camp with future NBA star Kobe Bryant and future political commentator Marc Lamont Hill.

Kevin's mother Nancy, died of cancer in 2007, she was the glue that held the family together. She raised Kevin largely on her own and frequently coordinated family get-togethers as her two sons became adults. When Nancy passed, the Harts struggled to cope with the loss, but Kevin says they all make sure Nancy's energy and values live on.

In October 2022, Kevin Hart announced the passing of his father, Henry Witherspoon, through heartfelt Instagram posts. Hart, 43 at the time, shared his grief and love in these captions:

"RIP to one of the realest & rawest to ever do it…Love you dad," Hart wrote, accompanying a series of photos of their family. "Gone but never forgotten….Give mom a hug for me….y'all did good man." Hart's mother, Nancy, had previously passed away in 2007 from cancer.

He added, "Thank you for everything….I'm a better father because of you We will all make you proud

Stand-Up Comedy

Kevin Hart's journey in stand-up comedy began at The Laff House in Philadelphia under the stage name Lil Kev. His initial attempts were met with failure, but he persisted and eventually developed a unique comedic style based on his own insecurities and life experiences.

Hart's breakthrough came with his first tour, "I'm a Grown Little Man," in 2009. This was followed by "Seriously Funny" in 2010, "Laugh at My Pain" in 2011, and "Let Me Explain" in 2013, with the latter two also being released as feature films.
"Laugh at My Pain" grossed over $15 million, making it one of the year's top-selling comedy tours. In 2015, Hart embarked on the "What Now? Tour," concluding in 2016, which was also made into a stand-up comedy film, "Kevin Hart: What Now?" filmed live at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field in front of 53,000 people.

Hart's film and television career began with a guest appearance in the 2002 sitcom "Undeclared" and his film debut in "Paper Soldiers" the same year. He subsequently appeared in the "Scary Movie" franchise, "Soul Plane," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Death at a Funeral," and "Little Fockers." He turned down a role in the 2008 film "Tropic Thunder" due to the character being gay, citing his own insecurities.

In 2012, Hart played Doug in "The Five-Year Engagement" and appeared in "Think Like a Man," a box office success, and its sequel. He had a cameo in "This Is the End" and played a boxing promoter in "Grudge Match" and Mannequin Head Man in "Exit Strategy." In 2014, Hart starred in "Ride Along" and its sequel, both of which were box office successes despite negative reviews.

Hart co-created "Real Husbands of Hollywood" with Chris Spencer in 2013, a show that featured Hart and other celebrities playing comical fictionalized versions of themselves.

In 2015, Hart starred in "Get Hard" with Will Ferrell and "The Wedding Ringer." In 2016, he starred in "Central Intelligence" with Dwayne Johnson and voiced a character in "The Secret Life of Pets." In 2017, he starred in "Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie" and "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" with Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Dwayne Johnson. He earned an estimated $32.5 million in 2017.

In 2018, Hart produced his first film under HartBeat Productions, "Night School." In October 2018, he signed a first-look deal with Nickelodeon to develop and produce live-action, scripted kids' content and a first-look film deal with Universal Studios.

In 2019, Hart starred in "The Upside," his first headlining role in a drama, co-starring Bryan Cranston and Nicole Kidman. He also reprised his role as Snowball in "The Secret Life of Pets 2."

In 2021, Hart starred in "Fatherhood," a drama about a man raising his daughter alone after his wife's death. The film premiered on Netflix on June 18, 2021.

In 2020, his series "Die Hart" premiered on Quibi and saw success. Hart executive produced the second season on The Roku Channel.

Hart signed a first-look deal with Netflix in January 2021 and later appeared in "Live in Front of a Studio Audience."

In 2022, Hart starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in the comedy "Me Time."

In January 2024, Hart starred in the Netflix comedy heist film "Lift" directed by F. Gary Gray, alongside Úrsula Corberó and Vincent D'Onofrio. He also competed in season eleven of "The Masked Singer."

In 2017, Hart founded Laugh Out Loud, a global media and production company to provide opportunities for top comedic talent worldwide. Hart became the majority owner in 2019 after buying out most of Lionsgate's stake. LOL spans digital, audio, linear, and experiential media with divisions including LOL Network, LOL Studios, LOL Audio, and LOL X!

Hart aggressively expanded LOL's reach with partnerships with PlutoTV, Roku, Snap, Facebook, Peacock, and YouTube. In 2020, he extended the company's agreement with Sirius XM. The network has launched successful programming like "Cold As Balls," "Kevin Hart: Lyft Legend," "What the Fit," and "Straight From The Hart."

In April 2022, Laugh Out Loud merged with Hartbeat Productions to create Hartbeat, comprising Hartbeat Studios, Hartbeat Media, and Hartbeat Pulse.

As his alias Chocolate Droppa, Hart signed to Motown Records and released "Kevin Hart: What Now? (The Mixtape Presents Chocolate Droppa)," the soundtrack to his stand-up film. He released singles "Push It On Me" featuring Trey Songz and "Baller Alert" with Migos and T.I.

In 2017, Hart appeared in an underwear commercial for Macy's with Tommy John.

In August 2022, Hart debuted Hart House, a vegan restaurant chain offering plant-based alternatives. The first location opened in Los Angeles, followed by additional locations in Monrovia, Sunset Boulevard, and near the USC campus.

Kevin Hart married Torrei Hart in 2003, and they filed for divorce in 2010, citing irreconcilable differences. Hart requested joint custody of their two children, a daughter born in 2005 and a son born in 2007.

The divorce was finalized in November 2011.

On August 18, 2014, Hart became engaged to Eniko Parrish. They were married near Santa Barbara, California, on August 13, 2016. Their first child, a son, was born on November 21, 2017.

A month later, Hart publicly admitted to cheating on Parrish while she was pregnant. Despite this, the couple reconciled and had a second child, a daughter, born on September 29, 2020.

An avid poker player since around 2010, Hart has entered major tournaments, including the WSOP, and cashed in one event for $4,783 in 2014. He also plays cash games and became a Brand Ambassador for PokerStars in 2017. As of September 2020, he has earned $47,828 in live tournament cashes.

Hart is a practicing Christian and has spoken openly about his faith.

On September 1, 2019, Hart was involved in a car accident that resulted in major back injuries. He was hospitalized and later continued recovery at a rehabilitation facility.

On August 23, 2023, Hart tore his lower abductors in a 40-yard race with former NFL running back Stevan Ridley. He required a wheelchair for recovery and humorously remarked on the realities of aging.

On April 14, 2013, Hart was charged with drunk driving after nearly colliding with a tanker truck on a Southern California freeway. He failed a field sobriety test and was booked for misdemeanor DUI. On August 5, he was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading no contest to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Kevin Hart's multifaceted career and personal experiences have made him a prominent figure in comedy, film, and entertainment, with a significant impact on audiences worldwide.