Kevin Hart And His Brother Had Wildly Different Childhoods

Actor and comedian Kevin Hart has made no secret of the fact that he had a tough upbringing. Naturally, the same can be said for Kevin's brother, Robert Hart. As he confirmed Variety in 2017, "We come from a f***ed up situation. We come from the worst living conditions." But while the Hart brothers were raised in the same household, they had to abide by a very different set of rules — something the "Celebrity Game Face" star reckons completely altered their trajectories in life. 

"My mom gave my brother a fair amount of freedom," Kevin shared in his 2019 docuseries "Don't F**k This Up" (via People). He continued, "Any mistakes you could make as a teenager, he made. My brother was in a gang, he dealt drugs. One afternoon my brother actually tried to snatch a purse from an old lady. That there was the last straw for my mom. She took my brother to court, and got him emancipated." 

As a result, she made sure Kevin had a considerably stricter, more rules-based childhood that kept the youngster on a tight schedule. "Her routine for me went like this: We woke up at 6 in the morning, I left to catch the school bus at 7," the comic recalled, and once school was over, he was straight into some kind of extracurricular activity to keep little Kevin busy. However, the "Jumanji" star credits this rigidity with giving him the requisite discipline to pursue a highly successful career in entertainment.

Despite the struggles he faced in his youth, Robert Hart managed to turn his life around and make a career for himself as a professional pool player. He competes in both U.S. and international tournaments, and shows off his skills on Instagram. According to Robert's bio, his goal is simple: Be the best in the world. As of this writing, Robert hasn't posted on Instagram since October 2020, but he's still making his mark on the world of pool. 

In August 2024, he competed at the U.S. Open Pool Championship tournament in Atlantic City. Likewise, Robert also maintains a demonstrably good relationship with his younger brother Kevin, who took to his own Instagram to congratulate Robert on his performance. "We are getting closer," Kevin wrote. "So proud of you man!!!! The future is bright. ... Stay focused and on course ... your hard work will pay off!!!!! Love you." 

Robert was similarly effusive when "Night School" was released in 2018, enthusing on Instagram, "So proud to witness this entire process & your growth kid as well as see things come together the way things are for you" It's worth noting, too, that the comic is no stranger to personal difficulties. Kevin Hart's personal shopper completely scammed him and the "Me Time" star's infidelity gravely affected Hart's young daughter too.