Kevin Hart and his older brother Robert Hart grew up together in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their mother, Nancy Hart, raised them. Their father, Henry, spent time in prison during Kevin’s early childhood.
Today, Kevin Hart is a hugely successful movie star and stand-up comedian. He often addresses difficult topics in his comedy routines, including his relationship with his parents and brother.
As an adult, Robert has found success as a professional pool player on the global stage. No matter where their careers take them, the brothers support one another.
Robert and Kevin have maintained a close brotherly bond throughout their lives.
Single Mother Raised Hart Brothers
Robert and Kevin were raised primarily by their single mother, as their father, Henry, was often in jail and not regularly present.
“We come from a difficult upbringing,” Robert told Variety in 2017. “We grew up in very poor living conditions.”
The brothers experienced challenges with an absent father and difficult financial circumstances growing up. Despite this, they have built successful careers for themselves as adults. Robert spoke openly about their upbringing while maintaining a positive tone.
Robert Hart Faced Childhood Adversity
Kevin’s older brother Robert had more freedom growing up and, unfortunately, made some poor choices during his youth.
As Kevin shared in his 2019 Netflix documentary, “My mom gave my brother a lot of independence. He got involved with a gang, did drugs, and once tried to steal a purse from an elderly woman.”
After that incident, their mother emancipated Robert. She then kept closer supervision over Kevin, not allowing him the same latitude.
Kevin explained, “My mom thought she had been too lenient with my brother. So, to keep me off the streets, she imposed more structure on my life.”
He described a rigid routine involving early wake-up calls, supervised activities after school, and extracurriculars.
While strict, this upbringing instilled in Kevin a strong work ethic. It set him on a path to succeed hugely as both a stand-up comedian and actor.
Brothers Supported Father Through Challenges
Kevin has spoken openly about how his father’s substance abuse issues deeply affected the family. However, those painful times also taught Kevin important life lessons.
As Kevin told Howard Stern, “If my dad hadn’t struggled with addiction, I might be handling my fame and fortune differently now. I could be the one with drug issues or struggling to find purpose.”
Kevin and Robert convinced their father to go to rehab, which helped turn his life around.
“I know that people make mistakes and no one is perfect. I shouldn’t overly judge things beyond someone’s control.”
As Kevin said
Before passing away, Kevin’s father became more positively involved with the family. As Kevin told Variety, “He did the best he could to be present and connect through calls, texts, and video chats. He worked hard to make his presence felt in their lives.”
Mother’s Sacrifice Enabled Kevin Hart’s Success
When Kevin was first trying to build his comedy career, his mother helped by paying his rent for a year. This allowed Kevin to concentrate on developing his stand-up act.
Shortly after Kevin got his big break in the movie “Fool’s Gold,” his mother Nancy was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She made Robert and the rest of the family keep her illness private from Kevin.
As Kevin recalled, “She said, ‘I need Kevin to keep moving forward in his career because I see him doing great things.'”
During the weeks before Nancy passed, Kevin was luckily able to fly back and forth from the “Fool’s Gold” movie set in Australia to spend precious time with her.
Mother’s Passing United Hart Siblings
When Nancy died, Kevin told Oprah Winfrey that her death brought him closer to his remaining family members. “All of that energy transferred over to my dad and my brother,” Kevin said. “This is our small family unit now. Suppose we don’t put effort into making this last name carry significance. In that case, we will have nothing that continues. My surname now holds meaning, but it’s because we worked to give it that meaning.”
Unbreakable Bond Between Hart Brothers
When Robert turned 50 in 2021, Kevin posted a photo of the two brothers together. He captioned the post: “Happy birthday to my brother Robert! Words cannot fully capture how much I love and appreciate you.”
“Thank you for being the best big brother ever,” he continued. “Your love and support have gotten me through some of the craziest times in my life. You are always there for me – you embody the true meaning of a ride or die, man.”
Robert Hart Becomes Professional Pool Champion
Robert describes himself on his Instagram as an “African American pool player, working to be number one in the world.” He competes globally in tournaments and is driven to excel.
His Instagram bio conveys his motivated mindset with the statement: “Ten two-letter words I live by if it is to be, it is up to me.”
Older Brother Robert Hart Takes Pride in Kevin’s Accomplishments
When Kevin’s movie Night School was released in 2018, Robert shared a photo of himself pointing enthusiastically at a poster for the film featuring his brother with Tiffany Haddish.
Robert captioned the celebratory post: “I’m so proud to have witnessed this entire journey for you and seen your growth, kid. Things are really coming together beautifully! I love you, kid, and I want to let the whole world know it.”
