Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel
One is a five foot four stand up star from Philadelphia who sells out football stadiums. The other is a Brooklyn born, Las Vegas raised talk show host who has sat behind the same late night desk since 2003. Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel make people laugh in different ways, but their paths have crossed again and again.
Hart has been a regular guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live for years, reading Mean Tweets and trading jokes with the host. The two are also linked by the Oscars. Kimmel hosted in 2017 and 2018. Hart was named host for 2019 but stepped down days later, and the show went on without a host. Kimmel then returned to host in 2023 and 2024.
This profile covers the ages, education, career timelines, businesses, and 2026 news of Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel.
Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel at a Glance
| Kevin Hart | Jimmy Kimmel | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Darnell Hart | James Christian Kimmel |
| Born | July 6, 1979 | November 13, 1967 |
| Age (October 2026) | 47 | 58 |
| Birthplace | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Education | George Washington High School; briefly Community College of Philadelphia | UNLV and Arizona State University (no degree) |
| Known for | Stand up, Ride Along, Jumanji | Jimmy Kimmel Live, hosting the Oscars |
| Business | Hartbeat media company | Kimmelot production company |
| Big honor | Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2024) | Four times as Oscars host |
Early Life and Education
Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel both grew up in working families and turned to comedy young.
Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart was born in Philadelphia in 1979. His mother, Nancy, raised him and his older brother largely on her own. His father struggled with addiction and was often in jail, and Hart has said he used humor to cope with hard times at home.
He graduated from George Washington High School in Philadelphia. He briefly attended the Community College of Philadelphia before dropping out and moving to New York to pursue comedy. His first stand up set, under the name “Lil Kev,” went badly, but he kept going.
Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel was born in Brooklyn in 1967 and moved to Las Vegas with his family at age 9. He loved late night TV, especially David Letterman, and dreamed of working in radio.
He studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and then Arizona State University, but left without a degree. He spent years as a radio personality in Seattle, Tampa, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles.
Career Timeline
Kevin Hart’s Career
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Appears in Judd Apatow’s TV series Undeclared |
| 2002 | Film debut in Paper Soldiers |
| 2009 | Stand up special I’m a Grown Little Man |
| 2011 | Laugh at My Pain becomes a box office hit for a comedy concert film |
| 2012 | Think Like a Man |
| 2013 | Co-creates Real Husbands of Hollywood |
| 2014 | Ride Along |
| 2015 | Plays a sold out show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia |
| 2017 | Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle; founds Laugh Out Loud |
| 2018 | Named Oscars host, then steps down over past tweets |
| 2019 | Seriously injured in a car crash in September |
| 2022 | Merges his companies into Hartbeat |
| 2024 | Lift on Netflix; hosts The Roast of Tom Brady; receives the Mark Twain Prize |
| 2025 | Co-hosts the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. |
| 2026 | Hosts Netflix’s Funny AF with Kevin Hart; subject of The Roast of Kevin Hart |
Jimmy Kimmel’s Career
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Co-hosts Win Ben Stein’s Money and wins a Daytime Emmy |
| 1999 | Co-creates and co-hosts The Man Show |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live debuts on ABC |
| 2012 | Hosts the White House Correspondents’ Dinner |
| 2017 | Hosts the Oscars for the first time |
| 2018 | Hosts the Oscars again |
| 2023 | Hosts the Oscars a third time |
| 2024 | Hosts the Oscars a fourth time |
| 2025 | ABC suspends the show for six days in September; signs an extension through May 2027 |
| 2026 | ABC denies a report that the show will end in 2027 |
Their Oscars Connection
The Oscars tie Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel together in an unusual way.
- 2017 and 2018: Kimmel hosted back to back, including the famous year when the wrong Best Picture winner was announced.
- December 2018: Hart was named host of the 2019 Oscars. Days later, old homophobic tweets from 2010 and 2011 resurfaced. He stepped down and apologized to the LGBTQ community.
- 2019: The Oscars went without a host for the first time in 30 years.
- 2023 and 2024: Kimmel returned to host twice more.
Hart has since talked about the episode in interviews and has said it taught him lessons about growth.
Laughs on Late Night
Hart has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live many times to promote films like Ride Along, Central Intelligence, and Jumanji. He has read Mean Tweets on the show alongside other stars, and his high energy stories about his family and his height are fan favorites. Kimmel often plays the calm straight man to Hart’s fast, loud delivery.
Two Different Comedy Styles
Hart is a stand up and movie star. His comedy is personal, physical, and full of energy. He tells stories about his kids, his marriage, and his own insecurities. He became one of the first comedians to sell out football stadiums.
Kimmel is a host and producer. His comedy is dry and sharp. He’s known for pranks, celebrity sketches, and political jokes. He has also become known for emotional monologues, including about his son Billy’s heart surgery in 2017.
| Trait | Kevin Hart | Jimmy Kimmel |
|---|---|---|
| Main stage | Arenas, stadiums, and movies | A late night desk |
| Style | High energy storytelling | Dry wit and sketches |
| Signature bit | Jokes about his height and family | Mean Tweets and pranks |
| Business | Hartbeat, a large comedy media company | Kimmelot production company |
| Big award | Mark Twain Prize | Emmys and Oscars hosting |
Business and Money
Kevin Hart is one of the highest paid comedians in the world. He built Hartbeat, a media company that makes films, TV, and digital comedy. He also has investments in food, fitness, and drinks, including his own tequila brand. His net worth is often estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jimmy Kimmel earns a large salary from ABC and produces shows through his company, Kimmelot. His net worth is often estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, though exact numbers aren’t public.
Personal Lives
Kevin Hart has two children, Heaven and Hendrix, from his first marriage to Torrei Hart. He married Eniko Parrish in 2016, and they have two children, Kenzo and Kaori. In 2019, he survived a serious car crash in California and needed months of recovery and physical therapy.
Jimmy Kimmel has two adult children, Katie and Kevin, from his first marriage. He married writer and producer Molly McNearney in 2013. They have two children, Jane and Billy.
Where Are They Now in 2026?
Kevin Hart has had a busy 2026. He hosted the Netflix competition series Funny AF with Kevin Hart and was the target of The Roast of Kevin Hart. His stand up special Acting My Age earned a Golden Globe nomination. Late in 2025, he co-hosted the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. He is 47.
Jimmy Kimmel is still hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live. His contract runs through May 2027. In September 2026, a report claimed the show would end after this season, but ABC called that report inaccurate. He is 58 and turns 59 in November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel friends? They have a friendly working relationship, and Hart has been a regular guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live for years.
Why didn’t Kevin Hart host the Oscars? He stepped down in December 2018 after old homophobic tweets resurfaced.
How many times has Jimmy Kimmel hosted the Oscars? Four times: 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024.
Who is older? Jimmy Kimmel is about 11 years older. He is 58, and Kevin Hart is 47.
Fun Facts
- Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel both got early breaks outside of their main careers: Hart in comedy competitions and Kimmel in radio.
- Hart is 5 feet 4 inches tall and jokes about his height constantly.
- Kimmel’s Mean Tweets segment has featured presidents, athletes, and movie stars.
Why People Compare Them
Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel are two of the biggest names in American comedy. Hart represents the modern stand up superstar who builds a business empire. Kimmel represents the classic late night host who talks to America every night. Their shared Oscars story makes the comparison even more interesting.
Key Takeaways
- Kevin Hart and Jimmy Kimmel are linked through years of late night appearances and the Oscars, which Kimmel hosted four times and Hart stepped down from hosting in 2019.
- Kevin Hart was born July 6, 1979, in Philadelphia, and is 47. He briefly attended the Community College of Philadelphia.
- Jimmy Kimmel was born November 13, 1967, in Brooklyn, and is 58. He studied at UNLV and Arizona State but didn’t finish.
- Hart received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2024 and runs the media company Hartbeat.
- Kimmel has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live since 2003, and his ABC deal runs through May 2027.
- In 2026, Hart hosted Funny AF and was roasted on Netflix, while Kimmel continues his show amid questions about its future.
