Kevin Hart Opens Up About Getting Back To Work After His Car Accident

Kevin Hart What the Fit exercise screenshot from YouTube

A few months ago, Kevin Hart had just undergone back surgery after getting injured in a car accident while out driving  with some friends. At the time, it was unclear how extensive the injuries were and how long he would need to be in rehab before getting back to work. As it turns out, Kevin Hart is a pusher and now he’s already back to work and opening up about filming his first project after the harrowing accident.

While Kevin Hart was able to be mobile enough to do Jumanji: The Next Level press at the end of last year, sitting in a chair and riffing with The Rock is not the same thing as having to move your body and put it through the paces while filming. Because of this, Hart actually believes his YouTube series What The Fit was the best project to jump into first.

Fitness has been a part of Kevin Hart’s life for a while and Don’t F**k This Up on Netflix even takes a deep dive into Hart’s work in the fitness business and how he’s trying to build a fitness empire. So it’s not a real surprise he felt YouTube's What The Fit was the perfect project to tackle after his extensive rehab.

When we set up for me to do the show, it was before my accident, and, of course, the accident pushed things back. And as I gained confidence in my ability to get my strength back and push myself and I finally did get to a place where I was like, ‘Wow, I’m feeling great, I want to do it,’ I felt that this would be a great demonstration of me being back to myself, of me being in a happy space, of me being in the mindset of still wanting to get the most out of life — and I wanted to put that on full display.

Look, Kevin Hart had to rehab extensively after his accident. The entire ordeal that he went through is pretty well-documented because the actor has been open about his “rebuilding routine” on social media and even in interviews. His mental journey has been a big part of his last several months as well, and even his Jumanji: The Next Level co-stars have talked about changes they’ve seen in the actor. His latest comments to EW simply illustrate this point more.

Kevin Hart also admits he’s changed since his accident and that we’ll see it in his work but also his day-to-day outlook. He also spoke out about the changes he’s undergone recently, noting that What the Fit will explore fitness but also his larger outlook.

I think it’s bigger than fitness, I think it’s life. You gain a high level of appreciation and understanding for life. So when you go through what I went through, it makes you look at the things that you may have taken for granted or may have looked over. Now, having the opportunity to go and do those things again, you’re thankful. So rest was important and that was the best way for me to get back to the place where I once was. It wasn’t about overlooking or sidestepping, it was about me saying, ‘OK, this is what I want to get back to now that I’m fortunate enough to be in the position to do so.’

What the Fit isn’t the only project Kevin Hart has in the works now that he’s getting back on his feet. The long-gestating My Own Worst Enemy is also coming together and other movie Fatherhood is currently in post-production.

Last week, Hart's name was also in the news after high-profile actor Jason Statham dropped out of a new movie with the Jumanji actor. He’ll be replaced with Woody Harrelson in the flick, which will be called The Man From Toronto.

He’s a busy guy in general, so I’m sure more movie and TV projects will be wafting Kevin Hart’s way in the coming months. Per usual, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news on the actor, because whether he’s trying a bad Scottish accent or talking about why he really, really loves green screen, we’re all over it.

For more on What The Fit, head over to LOL Network.

Jessica Rawden
Managing Editor

Jessica Rawden is Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. She’s been kicking out news stories since 2007 and joined the full-time staff in 2014. She oversees news content, hiring and training for the site, and her areas of expertise include theme parks, rom-coms, Hallmark (particularly Christmas movie season), reality TV, celebrity interviews and primetime. She loves a good animated movie. Jessica has a Masters in Library Science degree from Indiana University, and used to be found behind a reference desk most definitely not shushing people. She now uses those skills in researching and tracking down information in very different ways.