Kevin Hart had his family by his side at the 25th annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor event on Sunday.
The 44-year-old comedian walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center alongside his wife Eniko, 39, and their four children: daughters Heaven, 19, and Kaori, three; and sons Hendrix, 16, and Kenzo, six.
The Ride Along actor shares Kaori and Kenzo with Eniko, while he welcomed Heaven and Hendrix with his ex-wife Torrei Hart, whom he divorced in 2010.
Dressed in a navy tuxedo jacket and matching trousers, Kevin was honored with the prestigious Mark Twain Prize, awarded annually to one of the world’s greatest humorists.
A cavalcade of stars were on hand to help Kevin and his family celebrate this incredible achievement, including Tiffany Haddish, Chris Rock, Chelsea Handler, Nick Cannon and more.
Kevin Hart had his family by his side at the 25th annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor event on Sunday
The 44-year-old comedian walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center alongside his wife Eniko, 39, and their four children: daughters Heaven, 19, and Kaori, three; and sons Hendrix, 16, and Kenzo, six
After a charming appearance on the red carpet with his wonderful family, Kevin took the stage to accept the award amid a thunderous standing ovation.
“It feels surreal to be honored in this year of remembrance,” the star said in a statement ahead of the ceremony.
“Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations about life. I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on the culture.”
The Mark Twain Prize recognizes individuals who have impacted American society in ways similar to those of the eminent 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, popularly known as Mark Twain. Kennedy Center website.
“As a social commentator, satirist and character creator, Clemens was a fearless observer of society who delighted and informed spectators with his uncompromising view of social injustice and personal folly.”
Richard Pryor received the first-ever Mark Twain Prize at the inaugural Kennedy Center Celebration of American Humor on October 20, 1998.
Other past winners include Jonathan Winters (1999), Carl Reiner (2000), Whoopi Goldberg (2001) George Carlin (2008), Bill Cosby (2009, withdrawn in 2018), Tina Fey (2010), Will Ferrell ( 2011), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (2018), Dave Chappelle (2019) and Jon Stewart (2022).
Kevin’s journey to stardom began in Philadelphia’s comedy scene, where he honed his craft at local open mic nights and comedy clubs in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
His breakthrough came with the release of his first stand-up special, I’m a Grown Little Man, in 2009, which thrust him into the spotlight.
Hart’s career soared with subsequent successful specials such as Seriously Funny (2010) and Laugh at My Pain (2011), cementing his status as a comedy powerhouse.
By the mid-2010s, Hart had transitioned to mainstream success, starring in hit films such as Think Like a Man (2012) and Ride Along (2014), solidifying his position as one of the most recognizable and beloved comedians in the entertainment industry.
In 2020, Hart debuted his seventh one-hour stand-up special, Zero F**** Given, which quickly became Netflix’s best stand-up special of the year.
The Ride Along actor shares Kaori and Kenzo with Eniko, while he welcomed Heaven and Hendrix with his ex-wife Torrei Hart, whom he divorced in 2010
Dressed in a navy tuxedo jacket and matching trousers, Kevin was honored with the prestigious Mark Twain Prize, awarded annually to one of the world’s greatest humorists
Ted Sarandos, Bela Bajaria, Ori Marmur, Hart, Robbie Praw and Peter Friedlander attend the 25th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
After a charming appearance on the red carpet with his wonderful family, Kevin took the stage to accept the award amid a thunderous standing ovation.
“It feels surreal to be honored in this year of remembrance,” the star said in a statement ahead of the ceremony
Richard Pryor received the very first Mark Twain Prize in 1998, as did other past winners including Jonathan Winters (1999), Carl Reiner (2000), Whoopi Goldberg (2001) George Carlin (2008)
“Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations about life – I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture.”
This performance earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album, along with an Emmy nomination.
Additionally, Hart received Emmy nods for his roles in Die Hart and its sequel Die Hart 2: Die Harter, both in the Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category.
A two-time New York Times bestselling author, Hart’s first Audible original, The Decision, was also recognized with a nomination for Best Original Audiobook at the 2021 Audie Awards.
Kevin has also ventured into entrepreneurship and served as chairman of Hartbeat, a multinational media company that aims to unite people around the world through laughter.