Torrei Hart made headlines recently after she joined comedian Katt Williams‘ comedy tour following an interview where Williams bashed several colleagues, including her ex-husband, Kevin Hart.
Hart, who is also a comedian, helped her ex-husband rise to stardom by helping him write jokes at the beginning his comedy career. She is often credited for molding his career and serving as the inspiration for his early work. The former duo met in Philadelphia while studying at a local community college and bonded over comedy and theater arts.
How did Torrei Meet Kevin Hart?
Hart met her ex at the Community College of Philadelphia after being honorably discharged from the military. They began dating in 2001 and eight months later the pair were engaged. The two fell in love and moved to Los Angeles together before getting married in 2003. They had two children, Heaven and Hendrix before divorcing in 2011 due to Mr. Hart’s cheating.
Hart told “Inside Edition” that “lies and infidelity” ended her marriage, while adding that she supported him when they moved to Los Angeles. “When I met him, he was selling sneakers. He’s starting to get fame and I’m feeling like, OK, well, feeling a little left behind. We grew apart.”
Torrei Hart on Ending Marriage to Kevin Hart
The 45-year-old comedian also maintains that the “Fatherhood” actor cheated on her with his current wife, Eniko Parrish.
Kevin has openly admitted to his infidelities in various comedy skits and specials. But the timeline of when his and Eniko’s relationship began often has been a topic of discussion online. The idea was further fueled by Eniko’s 2017 Instagram post in which she wrote, “I love you more every day. 8 years together..1 year married..Forever to go.”
Torrei Hart on Eniko saying she wasn't a side🐤, dating #KevinHart in 2009. Kevin filed for divorce from Torrei in Feb 2011, finalized in Nov pic.twitter.com/3xdA8enhrJ
— Gossip Served Cold (@teaservedcold) August 21, 2017
However, at the time he had only been divorced from his first wife for six years.
“It’s been six years, I really don’t understand where all this is coming from,” Hart said. “Numbers don’t lie. Dates don’t lie at the end of the day. She forced my hand to address this publicly.”
The TV personality noted that she only came forth because of the children she and Kevin share together.
“So if my children see something that she’s writing that makes me look like a liar … no,” she continued. “I don’t care about anything but how my children feel about me. I have always put Kevin’s career first, but I’m now forced to address this publicly because my kids matter to me.”
#KevinHart & his first wife, Torrei Hart divorced in 2011. #KevinHart & Eniko Parrish was having fun in Vegas in 2009 😂 #KevinHartWhatNow pic.twitter.com/mVZXDYR8Yf
— RxQueen (@QTBooT2) September 17, 2017
That same year, Kevin was caught cheating on his current spouse when an extortionist leaked a tape of the 44-year-old and another woman after asking for $10 million. The FBI investigated the failed extortion attempt and Hart apologized in an Instagram video.
Torrei Hart on Keeping Her Ex-Husband’s Last Name
Hart said that she kept her married name following her divorce so that she would have the same last name as her children. “My son came to me one day and asked me not to change my name because he wanted the same name as me,” she said in 2022. “I’ve said this a million times too and for whatever reason, people put so much emphasis on a name. It’s my name.”
In a recent interview with the “Pettyish” Podcast, Hart added that she built her brand on her married name and was often teased with her maiden name as a child.
“I’ve built a career with this name,” she said. “My maiden name was Skipper. OK? You know how many jokes got cracked on me growing up being Torrei Skipper?” Hart added that her parents have been married for more than 50 years. “Skipper’s cute, don’t get me wrong,” she added while shouting out her father.
“I like Hart better. I do. It’s just, it is what it is. I built the brand around my name. I was there from the beginning helping build the brand name Hart,” she continued. “So, it’s like why do people feel like, ‘Oh, change your name! Change your name!’ No.”
Torrei Hart on Touring with Katt Williams
Hart received backlash after Katt Williams announced he’d asked her to join “The Dark Matter” comedy tour mere days after his “Club Shay Shay” appearance. He dragged several comedians during the interview, including Kevin. Williams claimed that he was an industry plant whose rapid rise to fame was suspicious. Kevin responded on X saying, “Gotta get that anger up outcha champ….It’s honestly sad,” while also promoting his new Netflix film, “Lift”
Hart performed her first stand-up act in Los Angeles at the Ha Ha Comedy Club soon after moving from Philly and established herself as a comedian. However, she was overshadowed by her ex-husband’s career. During an appearance on “The Cali Kickback” podcast last year, she said being Hart’s ex-wife “hindered me more so than helped.”
“A lot of people don’t know I got voted class clown in high school,” she said. “It just so happens the person that I married just blew up so big, and so it’s me just working on getting out of a shadow and constantly putting in the work. But I was always in the comedy realm, that’s my life.”
Hart also credited Williams for adding her to his comedy tour. “True ones know. That’s why I said shoutout to Katt Williams for putting me on down to perform in front of 30,000 at the Microsoft. You know he knows me.”
Torrei’s Career Outside of Comedy
Torrei has also starred in a few movies such as Lola 2,” “Perfectly Single,” and has producer credits on “Turnt,” its sequel, “Super Turnt,” and her latest movie, “Sebastian,” which she also executive produced.
