‘There’s a Gift and a Curse That Comes with That’: Kevin Hart Reveals How He Explained His Past Controversies to His Children

As Kevin Hart prepares for the release of his Netflix film “Fatherhood,” the father of four is talking about the real-life relationship he has with his children.

Hart recently went viral after talking about his discomfort with the idea of cancel culture. He said he’s been canceled about “three or four times” but believes “the way you grow up is from f-cking up.” His cancellations resulted from controversies like his past derogatory comments about LGBTQ people and the 2017 scandal where he cheated on his wife Eniko Parrish when she was eight months pregnant with their son Kenzo.

Kevin Hart and his two eldest children Hendrix and Heaven. (Photo: @kevinhart4real/Instagram)

Hart’s oldest two children Heaven, 16, and Hendrix, 13, are from his first marriage to Torrei Hart. Now that they are becoming of age to read headlines and scroll on social media, the NAACP Image award-winning comedian realized it’s time to talk to his children about his past controversies.

He told Romper on Wednesday, June 16, “You have to talk to your kids about it because it’s going to come out. Some of them are cool about it and some of them are not, depending on the situation.” Hart knows all too well the ups and downs that comes with fame. He said, “My kids understand who their father is. And, unfortunately, there’s a gift and a curse that comes with that. The gift is the life that you’re able to live, and the curse is the spotlight that’s on you constantly.”

When it comes to being a father to his children, the “Ride Along” star says “listening” is a top priority. “It’s not about trying to be right. It’s not about advice,” he explained. “It’s about listening, understanding, and then doing your best to give information so that your kids can make the best choices for them.”

On June 18, Hart’s fans will get to see him put his fathering skills to the test in the release of his film “Fatherhood.” The idea of the movie came from a 2011 novel called “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love,” which is a true story about a man named Matthew Logelin who lost his wife within hours of her giving birth to their first child. The book shares Logelin’s journey of being a single and first-time father, learning how to raise his daughter.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top