It’s only February, but Kevin Hart is already having one hell of a year.
The 34-year-old Philly native recently scored another number one box office hit with the hilarious buddy comedy Ride Along with Ice Cube; stared alongside vets like Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone in Grudge Match; and is gearing up for the Valentine’s Day release of About Last Night, a remake of the ‘80s classic.
With so much on his plate, you’d think Hart would be ready for a vacation, but he’s not even close to slowing down.
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“I haven’t slept in two years!” he confesses at a press junket for About Last Night. “I don’t know about other people, but I love to work. I’m trying to accomplish what hasn’t been accomplished. When I’m no longer here I want people to talk about what the f–k I did.”
In the last two years Hart’s career has kicked into overdrive. He’s racked up millions at the box office with Think Like a Man, his standup concert film Let Me Explain, and Ride Along, and hopes his winning streak will continue. While many Black comics have failed to have crossover success, Hart is one star that continues to appeal to mainstream audiences.
“The phrase ‘Black movie’ is slowly getting erased and I love it for the simple fact that we’re making good films,” he says of his wide-ranging appeal. “This has been a year of successful films. Best Man Holiday was a very successful film. 12 Years a Slave, The Butler, Fruitvale Station, Ride Along. You had movies that have over-performed and it’s because these movies are now being looked at as universal movies.”
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Later this year Hart will continue to reach diverse crowds when Think Like a Man Too is released, but first he’ll head to New Orleans to film Get Hard with Will Ferrell before returning to Los Angeles to shoot Ride Along 2. It’s a grind many wouldn’t be able to keep up, but Hart is undaunted by the frenetic pace.
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“Why sit down?” he asks. “I’m not sitting down no time soon.”
Hart’s work ethic extends beyond the big screen and into the boardroom. “I’m a f–king mogul,” he boasts. “HartBeat Productions is a company established by me, it’s mine. I run it. I have employees.”
In conjunction with HartBeat Digital, Hart’s company produces film projects, TV shows, and live entertainment. It’s a venture that’s allowed the comedian to do what he’s always wanted: follow his dreams.
“I love the fact that I’m doing what I love to do and I’m financially stable and my family’s happy and this is a dream.”
About Last Night hits theaters this Valentine’s Day