From successful comedy tours all over the world to making history as one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, Kevin Hart has shaped his career up in a way where he's quite literally become a force to be reckoned with in the film industry.
Hart is a talented actor, but it's his business and marketing techniques that have helped him reach an astounding net worth of $150 million, thanks to lucrative endorsement contracts, back-end deals, a growing production company, successful comedy tours, and so much more.
Kevin previously gushed that Tyler Perry is one of his biggest idols. Hart saw how the famous movie producer went on to build his very own 300-acre studio in Atlanta. With the way things have been going for Kevin, including his successful run in the filmmaking industry, he's well on his way to reaching Perry's status. So, exactly how has Hart managed to push his net worth to $150 million in such a short amount of time? Here's all you need to know:
15 He Charges Hollywood Studios To Promote Their Movies On Social Media
In 2014, leaked emails between several execs at Sony revealed how Kevin charged the studio a fee if they wanted him to promote their movies on his social media platform.
Kevin argued that, while he was paid to appear in their films, he was not paid for promotion work on social media. He’s now believed to make a fortune from Hollywood studios because he has such a large following.
14 His Comedy Tours Gross Millions In Revenue
Kevin makes an impressive sum when it comes to his comedy tours. His estimated earnings per show - in 2016 alone - stood at $1 million, but given his growing stardom, there’s no doubt that those figures have increased by now.
Fans love to see Kevin put on an exhilarating show and they are willing to pay big bucks to be there.
13 He Starred In Many TV Shows Before Hitting It Big Time
Before his big shot at the box office, Kevin made a name for himself outside of comedy, by starring in several popular TV shows. He proved he was a talented actor when he starred in BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood, alongside Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke, and Nelly, to name a few.
He also appeared in The Next Level, All Of Us, and Hart of the City.
12 He Once Had A Lucrative Endorsement Deal With H&M
In 2016, Kevin signed a deal with H&M for a hilarious spoof campaign which saw the comedian promoting a very unlikely stage show with the British soccer player, David Beckham. The commercial was associated with the new range of Modern Essentials from the fashion brand. Given how popular the video became online, Kevin proved his worth once again.
11 His Many Comedy Specials On Netflix Came With A Cost
In 2016, Chris Rock was one of the first comedians to sign an enormous deal with Netflix, which saw him earn $40 million for just two specials for the streaming giant. Since then, Kevin has not only filmed several stand-up shows for Netflix, he has also partnered with them for his limited docu-series, Don’t F--- This Up.
10 He’s Previously Partnered With The NBA And Mountain Dew
Kevin announced his partnership with the NBA and Mountain Dew in an interview with Forbes, but he went on to stress that he’s not the type to simply attach his name to anything.
Hart explained: “One thing I don’t ever want to do is NASCAR myself out; for people to say, ‘He’s got a Samsung deal and now an AT&T deal and then a new loafer deal and then a Wrangler deal?'”
“To sit here and say money doesn’t play a part in some deals, you wouldn’t be telling the truth. But more important for me is what if this brand becomes the biggest ever, what if the campaign becomes the most talked about thing ever.”
9 He Has Millions Of Fans On Each Social Media Platform
Kevin Hart can charge a high fee for promotional work on his social media simply because he has such a wide following of fans across the globe. On Instagram alone, he has 85.5 million followers, while his Twitter and Facebook accounts have followings of 36.1 million and 23 million, respectively.
With everything combined, Kevin has a social media reach that is unheard of for a comedian.
8 He Commonly Signs Back-End Deals For His Movies
Now that Kevin is an A-list actor, he can negotiate back-end deals on top of the money he’s already expected to receive for starring in a movie. While it was never revealed how much Hart made for his role in Jumanji: Welcome 2 The Jungle, the father-of-three did sign a back-end agreement, which would see him earn an additional amount if the movie was a success. It went on to make a billion dollars at the box office. Ka-ching!
7 He Has Strong Connections In Hollywood
Kevin isn’t just a hardworking man, he also is a great friend. Over the years, he’s formed close relationships with everybody, from TV executives to business partners, music producers, film directors, and other Hollywood actors. His strong relationships in L.A. have played a part in his success.
6 He Gets Paid To Party
If Kevin is going to have a good time at a club, he’s going to make sure that he’s leaving with hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s right, the trend that Paris Hilton famously started still lives on to this day - celebrities are still getting paid to party, but the fees are generally higher than what they used to be.
Now, someone as famous as Kevin can charge a minimum of $100,000 for a quick appearance.
5 His Production Company Is Becoming A Major Competitor in Hollywood
Hart owns his very own entertainment company called Hartbeat Productions, which has already produced several hit films, including 2018’s Night School, starring Tiffany Haddish, and the theatrical comedy special, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain.
He plans to keep it growing with several major projects, including TV and movies that are already in the works, right through to 2022.
4 He Has Starred In Commercials For Endless Brands
In 2017, it was revealed that Kevin, who was named the sixth highest-paid comedian, had made 20% of his income from branded partnerships alone. Brands he was endorsed by at the time included Nike and Tommy John (who has repeatedly worked with K-Hart on several campaigns). It’s fair to assume that Kevin knows how to draw his fans into whatever he’s selling.
3 His Average Salary Per Movie Is Very High
It’s believed that Kevin’s average salary per movie stands between $10-15 million, depending on promotional work and the negotiation of a back-end deal, among other factors.
Needless to say, the amount of money that Hart makes for his movies is just as high (or higher) as the salaries of actors who have been in the industry much longer than he has.
2 ‘Kevin Hart: The Irresponsible Tour’ Made History In 2018
In 2018, Kevin sold over one million tickets for his comedy show, “Kevin Hart: The Irresponsible Tour,” which also became the biggest comedy tour of the year. The successful international run made him an impressive $30 million richer and earned him the title of Forbes’ highest-paid comedian, with total earnings of $59 million.
1 His Industry Peers Love Working With Him
It’s rare to hear somebody say something negative about Kevin. He’s a likable guy who works hard, has always remained humble, and knows a lot when it comes to business and marketing. It would explain why his industry peers are always keen to work with him -- if they haven’t already.