After the recent celebrations of the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Emmys, Hollywood is gearing up once again to roll out the red carpets for the upcoming Oscars, which will take place at the Dolby Theatre on March 11. As always, the success of the event heavily relies on the host, and this year, Jimmy Kimmel will take to the stage for the fourth time.
Just a few days ago, actor Kevin Hart (44) reiterated that no matter how much they insist, he would never host such a show. "These gigs aren't good for comedians. I wouldn't even entertain the idea of hosting the Oscars, the Golden Globes, or any other awards show. Those are not comedy-friendly environments," he recently confessed to Sky News. He was on the verge of hosting in 2019, but backed out under social media pressure due to homophobic jokes he had made earlier in his career.
In an era where everything is politically incorrect, Hart is clear: "It's not the job it used to be. It's too much pressure for a comedian, and it's hard to navigate what's considered a joke and what's not." The actor is currently promoting Netflix's Lift: A First-Class Heist, where he shares the screen with Úrsula Corberó (34). The two have become friends, often exchanging jokes at various events they attend.
Shortly after high school, Kevin started working as a shoe salesman but left the job to pursue comedy full-time in clubs. Recognizing his talent, he moved to New York, quickly gaining acceptance in the circuit. Humor became a vital survival mechanism for him, given his father's frequent incarceration during much of his childhood, leaving his mother to single-handedly raise him and his sibling.
He achieved significant success with his first two stand-up shows, I'm a Little Grown Man (2006) and Seriously Funny (2010). However, it wasn't until 2011 with his Laugh at My Pain tour that he attained superstar status, raking in $15 million and becoming one of the most successful comedy tours of the time. While professionally soaring, his personal life faced challenges, as he divorced comedian Torrie Hart in the same year, with whom he had two children, Heaven Leigh (18) and Hendrix (16). In 2016, he remarried Eniko Parrish (39), with whom he shares two children, Kenzo Kash (6) and Kaori Mai (3).