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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="986862" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kevin-Hart">Kevin Hart</keyword> plays his most dramatic role yet in "<keyword id="36187" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="fatherhood">Fatherhood</keyword>."</li><li>The actor told Insider the part represented the "growth" he was looking for in his career.</li><li>Hart said Barack Obama spoke to him about the importance of the movie during production.</li></ul><p>There was a sudden hush over the conference room on the Sony lot.</p><p>The often mundane weekly development meeting, where future projects are discussed, got a jolt of excitement when it was revealed that Kevin Hart wanted to take on the studio's long-dormant family drama, "Fatherhood." (They'd eventually sell the picture to <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> during the pandemic.) </p><p>The biggest comedy star in the world was looking to change gears and do a tear-jerker about a man who must raise his daughter on his own after the death of his wife during childbirth.</p><p>All the executives turned their eyes to Sony chairman Tom Rothman to see how he would react.</p><p>"Now that is a big idea!" the veteran studio head said excitedly. </p><p>Big ideas are Hart's specialty. His career in Hollywood has evolved from selling out arenas and earning huge box office coin with his stand-up comedy shows to taking on the action-comedy genre thanks to franchises like "Ride Along" and "Jumanji." Now he's turning his focus to dramatic work.</p><p>"It's not like this is a new discovery that I can do drama," Hart said to Insider matter-of-factly over a Zoom chat, calling out his work in 2017's dramedy "The Upside." "I've known I can. I've just been waiting on the right projects."</p><div type="image" title="Kevin Hart on red carpet" height="2995" width="4006" msid="83549502" hostid="261"></div><h2>Hart said the dramatic role represents the 'growth' he was looking for</h2><p>Despite Hart's take, don't be confused: "Fatherhood" is definitely our first time seeing Hart go full drama. And the opening shot of the movie indicates viewers won't see that big smile or get silly one-liners as Hart's character Matt is on the verge of tears, standing to speak at his wife's funeral.</p><p>We then follow Matt as he takes on the responsibility of being a single father, despite the demands of his work and the urging of his mother-in-law (Alfre Woodard) to let her raise the child. It's an uplifting story but also a very serious one (I counted on one hand the number of times Hart even cracks a smile).</p><p>For Hart, 41, "Fatherhood" is his path to level up to the heights of Tom Hanks and Adam Sandler - actors who cut their teeth in comedy but went on to prove they could pull in audiences with their dramatic work as well.</p><p>"I'm a tree," Hart said of his career. "And as a tree grows, those branches become things of their own. It's about expansion. It's about growth and it's about evolving within your craft. 'Fatherhood' was exactly what I was looking for."</p><p>But what's equally remarkable is how his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-hart-hartbeat-productions-is-growing-as-a-hitmaker-2019-6">HartBeat Productions</a> pulled the project out of development hell to get it made.</p><div type="image" title="fatherhood netflix" height="682" width="910" msid="83549505" hostid="261"></div><h2>Channing Tatum originally starred in 'Fatherhood,' but Hart's involvement led to a story change and Barack Obama getting involved </h2><p>Back in 2015, Sony announced it was developing "Fatherhood" with Channing Tatum to star, based on Matthew Logelin's 2011 memoir "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Two-Kisses-Maddy-Memoir-Loss/dp/0446564303">Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love.</a>"</p><p>For years, the project lay dormant until 2019 when producer Marty Bowen sent Hart the script.</p><p>"I remember getting a little teary-eyed within the first 20 pages of reading the script," Hart said. "We had conversations and the conversations were about taking this on, but shaping it and molding it where it could fit me while staying true to Matt's original story."</p><p><keyword id="11451739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bryan-smiley">Bryan Smiley</keyword> was at the Sony development meeting when it was revealed Hart wanted to take on the project. As the studio's vice president of production, he instantly saw the worth in Hart being attached and helped pivot the story from being about a white father to centering a Black one.</p><p>"The author of the book is a white man, but ultimately the notion that you can build on his story and can create this experience for Black fathers that we haven't seen in cinema in many, many years was deeply exciting," Smiley told Insider.</p><p>Soon after Smiley found himself heavily involved in the project as Hart hired him to be the head of his production company, HartBeat, which over the last 12 years has grown to have first-look deals at Universal and Netflix.</p><p>"I produced a film with Kevin called 'Central Intelligence' and got to see first hand his amazing talent and work ethic," Netflix's head of original films Scott Stuber told Insider over email. "When we discussed the potential of building a business together with Kevin and his team at HartBeat, we felt like there were infinite possibilities with what we could achieve together."</p><p>At Netflix, HartBeat has been behind the comedian's hit stand-up releases like "Zero F---s Given" and his 2019 documentary about his career and marriage turmoil, "Kevin Hart: Don't F**k This Up." The streamer also houses the comedian's older specials, including 2019's "Kevin Hart: Irresponsible," 2016's "Kevin Hart: What Now?," and 2009's "Kevin Hart: I'm A Grown Little Man." Smiley noted that several film and TV projects are ready to go into production in the coming year.</p><div type="image" title="Barack Obama" height="1334" width="1778" msid="83549507" hostid="261"></div><h2>Barack Obama had some words of advice for Hart ahead of the movie</h2><p>"Fatherhood" is a major moment for HartBeat. Both Smiley and Hart told Insider it proves to Hollywood that they are focused on making important work.</p><p>That became more evident when Barack and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground, joined the movie.</p><p>"I got to talk to Obama," Hart said with a big smile on his face. "He really saw the opportunity in this movie for positive messaging attached to a Black man being a good father."</p><p>Hart knew that the former president was a film buff, but admitted he was taken back to learn that the Obamas are also fans of his <keyword id="406" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Movies">movies</keyword>.</p><p>"He has always shown a high level of love and support for the things I've done, which is dope as hell," Hart said.</p><h2><div type="image" title="Bryan Smiley and Kevin Hart sitting in director's chairs" height="1510" width="2013" msid="83549509" hostid="261"></div>Now Hart's production company is seeking an 'Austin Powers'-like movie for him</h2><p>For those who love to see Hart mixing comedy and action, don't worry. He's not walking away from the genre.</p><p>In fact, Hart spoke to Insider from the location of his upcoming movie "Borderlands," based on the popular video game. (Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis also star.)</p><p>However, Hart said doing "Fatherhood" was important in his progression in Hollywood since he wants his brand to touch all different facets of media.</p><p>"It's about checking as many boxes as I can," he explained. "When you look at animation, I'm there. Comedy, I'm there. Docuseries, podcast, I'm in love with the access of opportunity."</p><p>And with "Fatherhood" proving he can do serious roles, Hart said he's going to continue down the drama path a little longer.</p><p>Coming soon to Netflix is the HartBeat-produced limited series "True Story," in which Hart plays a fictional version of himself: a Philadelphia-born comic whose relationship with his troubled older brother (played by Wesley Snipes) could destroy the career he's trying to build.</p><p>"It's another level of my dramatic performances," Hart said of the series, which has yet to get a release date. "This is a real look into the projects we can really do at HartBeat."</p><p>Meanwhile, Smiley is looking at bigger things for the company. He said he's in search of a project for Hart that latches onto pop culture.</p><p>"Kevin and I just talked about this. A dream project for us is a comedy like Mike Myers did with 'Austin Powers,'" Smiley said. "Where you can do multiple movies that people talk about 20 years from now. That's the goal: films that people come back to time and time again."</p><p><em>Netflix releases "Fatherhood" on Friday.</em></p>

Kevin Hart says Netflix's 'Fatherhood' proves that he 'can do drama' and reveals he's looking for an Austin Powers-like project to star in next

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Abry Partners' $100 million stake in Kevin Hart's company HartBeat is the latest big <keyword id="11930356" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ma" source="Orion">M&amp;A</keyword> move in <keyword id="11895191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hollywood" source="Orion">Hollywood</keyword>.</li><li>Dealmakers said production companies are valuable amid the <keyword id="11918203" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="streaming-wars" source="Orion">streaming wars</keyword> and demand for content.</li></ul><p>The streaming wars have spurred a period of frenzied dealmaking in Hollywood. </p><p>Amazon kicked off a major round of M&amp;A last May with its $8.45 billion offer for 97-year-old studio MGM. In the year since, several entertainment companies have sold pieces of their business, including Reese Witherspoon's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reese-witherspoon-hello-sunshine-growth-strategy-acquisition-2021-8">Hello Sunshine</a> and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's Westbrook Inc. to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-private-equity-investors-in-hollywood-entertainment-2021-7">Blackstone-backed Candle Media.</a></p><p>Joe and Anthony Russo's AGBO sold a stake in January to South Korean video game publisher Nexon. In March, <keyword id="6358540" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sony" source="Orion">Sony</keyword> Pictures Television announced it would take a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sony-buys-industrial-media-american-idol-90-day-fiance-1235103590/">majority stake in Industrial Media</a> — known for reality TV hits like TLC's "90 Day Fiancé" — in a deal valuing the company at $350 million. And STX Entertainment was acquired by the Najafi Companies in April for around $157 million, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/stx-sold-to-investor-group-led-by-najafi-companies-1235084457/">according to the Hollywood Reporter</a>.</p><p>In the latest deal, Kevin Hart's new <keyword id="11894119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="media" source="Orion">media</keyword> venture, HartBeat, announced that <keyword id="12061432" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="private-equity" source="Orion">private equity</keyword> firm Abry Partners was <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/kevin-harts-media-company-sells-$100-million-stake-to-private-equity-11291266">taking a $100 million minority stake</a> in the business, which combines his HartBeat production shingle and digital comedy platform Laugh Out Loud. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-hart-company-ceo-thai-randolph-private-equity-hartbeat-2022-5">Thai Randolph stepped up as CEO</a> of the company after leading the fundraise.</p><p>The M&amp;A activity had top Hollywood dealmakers telling Insider in early 2022 that practically every independent production company is a target.</p><p>Private equity firms are leading the pursuit, especially when it comes to talent-fronted shingles, because they see value in investing in content before the streaming service boom plateaus — and demand for original programming along with it. Apollo in January took a $760 million stake in "<keyword id="11975656" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dune" source="Orion">Dune</keyword>" producer <keyword id="13232532" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="legendary" source="Orion">Legendary</keyword>, in a move that "is about us making our own IP," Apollo partner <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apollo-global-partner-reveals-acquisition-strategy-tegna-legendary-future-ma-2022-2">Aaron Sobel told Insider</a>. "You're going to be seeing us do M&amp;A and there's much more that's going to happen," he said.</p><p>"More traditional media companies are trying to pivot," said Waymaker Law founder Ryan Baker, adding that periods of disruption foment more M&amp;A activity because it's "quite common for entrenched incumbent players tied to existing technology to not be as nimble" and they can often adapt more quickly by buying than building.</p><p>Not only does the appetite for production capabilities appear insatiable, but valuations also are sky-high. Hello Sunshine, whose projects include Apple TV+ drama "The Morning Show," was valued at $900 million in its Candle Media deal. SpringHill Co., founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, nabbed a $725 million valuation when it took on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-springhill-valued-725-million-nike-epic-invest-2021-10">an investment</a> from a group including RedBird Capital, Nike, and Epic Games. </p><h2>'The key is buying franchises.'</h2><p>Such targets aren't being evaluated as traditional production companies, but rather as IP generators that have the potential to feed the demand for the next "Squid Game" or "Yellowstone," projects built with DNA that could anchor universes and also extend beyond the screen. </p><p>"Original content is becoming more important and you want to bring a lot of the production capabilities in house," said Pivotal entertainment analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak. "The key is buying franchises." </p><p>All that deal flow is leading some Hollywood companies to hang "for-sale" signs. Village Roadshow, the producer of "Joker" and "The Lego Movie," has hired PJT Partners to seek investment or acquisition offers, per the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/village-roadshow-producer-on-movies-including-joker-and-the-matrix-explores-strategic-options-11642182117">Wall Street Journal</a>.</p><p>The limited set of larger production businesses that make attractive acquisition targets, sources said, includes A24, Skydance Media, and MRC. But among smaller shops, having a talent affiliation is key. A production company without a big-name is more like an arms dealer, a top dealmaker said, and typically lacks the potential to expand into multiple verticals — or to command a top-tier valuation. </p><p>Celebrity-fronted businesses come with their own risks. If the talent isn't interested in expanding beyond filmed entertainment, the value of the deal declines. And if a star's reputation falters, the business could slip with it. </p><p>Not all independent shops control the IP they create. Many production companies make work-for-hire or don't control the rights to a project once it is sold off to a studio distributor. Still, some buyers are game to pay for access to the <em>next</em> big idea from, say, creators like the Russo brothers, even though their reputation was built largely on "The Avengers" — aka Marvel IP — said another dealmaker who asked to remain anonymous.</p><p>Based on January interviews with five entertainment industry experts and insiders, Insider identified a list of 10 production companies that could be compelling acquisition targets as M&amp;A activity continues.</p><h2>10 Hollywood M&amp;A targets with production capabilities and brand recognition</h2><ul><li><strong>A24</strong> The company led by CEO David Fenkel and chairman Daniel Katz has long been the subject of acquisition speculation thanks to its lineup of buzzy titles, including Greta Gerwig's "Lady Bird" and best picture Oscar winner "Moonlight." A24 — which also produces TV shows like "Ramy" — has a production deal with Apple and a film licensing agreement with Showtime.   </li><li><strong>Array</strong> Ava DuVernay's company produces, markets, and distributes films from women and people of color. Array also is behind DuVernay projects like Netflix series "Colin in Black &amp; White" and has a deal with the streamer to release film projects including 2021 dramedy "Donkeyhead." </li><li><strong>Bad Robot</strong> J.J. Abrams and wife Katie McGrath's 23-year-old shop is behind everything from HBO drama "Westworld" to the next installment of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. Though Bad Robot doesn't own the rights to those titles, Abrams is such an in-demand creative talent that <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jj-abrams-officially-closes-sizable-warnermedia-film-tv-partnership-1232979/">WarnerMedia</a> in 2019 paid a reported $250 million for a five-year film and TV overall deal with him. </li><li><strong>Blumhouse</strong> Jason Blum's shingle has perfected its model of producing horror films on a tight budget, projects that reap big gains when they hit with audiences. Consider 2021's "Halloween Kills," which made more than $131 million at the box office, amid COVID fears and restrictions, on a $20 million budget. A 10-year first-look deal with Universal Pictures that runs through 2024 bodes stability for Blumhouse's film business.</li><li><strong>Chernin Entertainment</strong> Peter Chernin's company — which produced NBC's "New Girl" and the rebooted "Planet of the Apes" film series — is said to be exploring strategic options. It has a first-look deal with Netflix, and in 2020 it struck a deal with Spotify to develop its podcasts for film and TV. </li><li><strong>Imagine Entertainment</strong> Previously a target for Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs' Candle Media, the production company co-founded by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer was in talks early this year to sell a stake to London-based Centricus, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ron-howard-and-brian-grazers-imagine-entertainment-in-talks-to-sell-majority-stake-to-investment-firm-centricus-11642175909">WSJ</a> reported. Its recent films include "Hillbilly Elegy" and "Tick, Tick…Boom!" for Netflix. </li><li><strong>Scout Productions</strong> The 28-year-old company led by Michael Williams, David Collins and chief creative officer Rob Eric has driven some of the highest-profile LGBTQ+ projects in Hollywood, including "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and its "Queer Eye" reboot on Netflix.</li><li><strong>Seven Bucks Productions</strong> Led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Dany Garcia, Seven Bucks produced "Red Notice" for Netflix and has the upcoming "Black Adam" for Warner Bros. It also makes content for Johnson's YouTube channel, where he has 5.89 million subscribers. </li><li><strong>Skydance Media </strong>David Ellison's production shingle is behind the upcoming "Top Gun: Maverick" and is teaming with regular producing partner Bad Robot on "Mission: Impossible 7" and "Star Trek 4." The company — which has taken investments from RedBird Capital, Korea's CJ ENM, and Tencent — will produce a slate of live-action films for Apple, where it already has an animated film and TV series deal. </li><li><strong>Village Roadshow</strong> The film producer and financier majority owned by private equity firm Vine Alternative Investments is best known for Warner Bros. co-productions including "The Matrix Resurrections" and "Joker." The company, which is led by CEO Steve Mosko, recently has been focused on producing its own original films. </li></ul><p><em>This article was originally published on January 27 and has been updated, most recently on May 19.</em></p>

Kevin Hart sold a $100 million stake in his media company to private equity firm Abry. Here are 10 Hollywood more production shops that are hot M&A targets.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Kevin Winter/Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Kevin Hart.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Kevin Hart's 10-year-old HartBeat Productions is growing at a rapid pace with its digital platform Laugh Out Loud Network and multiple film projects in development around Hollywood, including a first-look deal at Universal.</li><li>"You just don't want to be the guy who shows up and says the speech before a film gets screened," Hart told Business Insider of his philosophy on the growth of HartBeat. "I don't do things to just throw my name on it, I don't believe in that. If I'm involved, I'm present."</li><li>HartBeat projects currently range from an upcoming Hart stand-up special on Netflix, to him producing the US remake of the record-breaking Korean movie, "Extreme Job."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p> </p><p>For the last 10 years, Kevin Hart has been doing more than starring in blockbuster movies and theatrically released stand-up specials. He's been strategically building a production company that is shifting him from movie star to major Hollywood player.</p><p>HartBeat Productions launched with Hart and a team of two in 2009, at a modest corner office space in a nondescript building in downtown Encino, California. But since then, it has grown to a staff of almost 40 and now takes up the entire floor of its original office building. The company also has three soundstages in the San Fernando Valley used for its digital arm, Laugh Out Loud Network. And HartBeat is currently developing various film projects at numerous studios, including a first-look deal at Universal.</p><p>"You just don't want to be the guy who shows up and says the speech before a film gets screened," Hart told Business Insider of his philosophy on the growth of HartBeat. "I don't do things to just throw my name on it, I don't believe in that. If I'm involved, I'm present. My impact is felt and I think that goes a long way because when people that do the work for you see that you put in the work too, it makes it feel like they are part of something special."</p><p>Hard work has never been something Hart has shied away from.</p><p>Hart emerged out of the stand-up scene in the late 1990s to become one of the biggest draws ever. The theatrical releases of his specials "Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain" (2011), "Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain" (2013), and "Kevin Hart: What Now?" (2016) combined to make over $63.5 million, with "Let Me Explain" having a $10 million opening on just 876 screens.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Summit Entertainment</span></p><p class="caption">"Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain."</p></div><p></p></div></div>And Hart's box-office draw as an actor is even more astonishing.</p><p>Hart starred alongside Ice Cube in the "Ride Along" franchise, generating box-office receipts in the hundreds of millions. And Hart's draw was even bigger when he was recently paired with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," which earned close to $1 billion worldwide.</p><p>But you can really tell how strong Hart's draw is when you look at this year's movie, "The Upside." The movie was a casualty of the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct allegations that crippled Weinstein's company (the movie was eventually released by STXfilms), and at the time of the movie's release, Hart was dealing with the blowback of homophobic tweets and jokes of his that had resurfaced when he was chosen to host the Oscars (he eventually stepped down). But despite that, the movie opened No. 1 at the domestic box office with over $20 million. It would go on to make over $100 million worldwide on a $37.5 million budget.</p><p>"The audience knows that with Kevin, he's somebody they can get behind," Peter Cramer, Universal Pictures' president of production, told Business Insider. "His characters are human and are always going to look out for you, and because of that audiences will follow him anywhere."</p><p>Hart is hoping audiences will have that same kind of trust with HartBeat as its portfolio grows.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>YouTube</span></p><p class="caption">(L) Conan O'Brien on an episode of "Kevin Hart: What The Fit."</p></div><p></p></div></div>On the digital side, with Laugh Out Loud Network, the projects all have a multicultural feel, which Hart says is helping expand diverse representation in the space. Its YouTube channel has 3.7 million subscribers, and one of its shows "Kevin Hart: What The Fit," in which Hart and a celebrity guest conduct an interview while doing insane exercises, has over 275 million views across all the episodes. YouTube funds "What The Fit" as part of its premium video initiative and has renewed it for a season 3.</p><p>HartBeat has also teamed with Netflix to develop TV shows and Hart's next stand-up special. Hart said the latter came when he decided that he wouldn't do theatrical releases of his comedy specials anymore. Though they have been moneymakers, Hart is thinking bigger.</p><p>"It's a better deal because it's more global," Hart said. "With me trying to get to a space where my movies are having more and more box-office success all over the globe, something that can be in Germany, Spain, and Australia all at the same time, these are all markets that I'm currently frequenting so that was just a smart move."</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong></em>: <em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jay-z-net-worth-2018-9">Jay-Z has a net worth of $1 billion - see how the rapper-turned-mogul makes and spends his fortune</a></em></p><p>That brings us to the major cog for HartBeat: the movie side.</p><p>HartBeat came out of the gate with the 2018 Universal Hart/Tiffany Haddish comedy, "Night School," which opened No. 1 at the domestic box office and made over $100 million worldwide (<a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/night_school_2018">despite a 27% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes</a>).</p><p>Now, HartBeat projects are in the works all over town.</p><p>At Warner Bros., there's the remake of the 1974 Bill Cosby-Sidney Poitier movie, "Uptown Saturday Night;" at Sony, there's the drama "Fatherhood;" and then there's a body-switching comedy called "Black Friday" at STXfilms. And those are just the ones Hart will talk publicly about.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Universal</span></p><p class="caption">"Night School" was the first movie produced by HartBeat, Kevin Hart's production company.</p></div><p></p></div></div>With its first-look deal at Universal, HartBeat has projects that range from a comedy Hart and Chris Rock came in and pitched titled "Co-Parenting," to the US remake of the record-breaking Korean movie, "Extreme Job," that Hart would be a producer on but not star in.</p><p>"He really is one of the hardest working guys in the industry, which is meaningful," Carmer said (Hart will star next in Universal's "The Secret Life of Pets 2," opening in theaters on Friday). "He wants to win, always. He's willing to get on the phone with anybody and do whatever it takes to make HartBeat a true production company."</p><p>Hart's passion for HartBeat is evident when talking to him. Gone is the guy with jokes and a colorful personality and in his place is someone who is focused and strategic in where he wants to take his brand. It's clear the biggest thing Hart wants going forward is for HartBeat to be a value beyond just his name.<br /><br />"I think the biggest goal is to have a ridiculous resume," Hart said. "Five years from now, if I can have anywhere from 12-14 movies that were done from HartBeat Productions, I think that's an amazing thing. But being a true partner to these monster studios so when these deals come in you know why. It's justified. It's not because I'm just Kevin Hart. We are doing the work."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/game-of-thrones-season-8-full-details-easter-eggs-missed-2019-5">81 details you may have missed in the final season of 'Game of Thrones'</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Inside Kevin Hart's 10-year journey to make his production company into a Hollywood hit maker

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hart told Insider why <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword> got involved with his new <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> film, "<keyword id="36187" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="fatherhood">Fatherhood</keyword>."</li><li>He said the former president saw an opportunity in showing a "Black man being a good father."</li><li>Hart added that Obama has always been a supporter of his work, "which is dope as hell."</li></ul><p>The Netflix movie "Fatherhood" is not just unique because it <a href="https://www.insider.com/kevin-hart-fatherhood-interview-dramatic-performance-netflix-2021-6">features Kevin Hart in a dramatic role</a>, but also because it's one of the rare times onscreen where a Black father is portrayed in a positive light.</p><p>Because of that, the movie grabbed the attention of Barack and Michelle Obama, whose production company, Higher Ground, is attached to the Netflix film, out Friday.</p><p>"I got to talk to Obama," Hart <a href="https://www.insider.com/kevin-hart-fatherhood-interview-dramatic-performance-netflix-2021-6">told Insider</a>, adding that the former president is a film buff. "He really saw the opportunity in this movie for positive messaging attached to a Black man being a good father."</p><p>In the movie, Hart plays a father who raises his daughter alone after the death of his wife during childbirth.</p><p>The comedian said even before the Obamas got involved in "Fatherhood," Barack was a supporter of his career.</p><p>"He has always shown a high level of love and support for the things I've done, which is dope as hell," he added.  </p><div type="image" title="Barack and Michelle Obama waving" height="2368" width="3157" msid="83608943" hostid="261"></div><p>The Obamas formed Higher Ground in 2018, signing a multi-year deal with Netflix to produce TV and film projects that lift diverse voices.</p><p>Previous to "Fatherhood," Higher Ground was involved with the 2019 Oscar-winning Netflix documentary "American Factory," about a Chinese company that takes over a shuttered General Motors plant in Ohio; and 2020's "Becoming," which looked inside Michelle promoting her memoir on a national book tour.</p><p>Based on Matthew Logelin's 2011 memoir "<a href="https://www.insider.com/reviews/out?asin=0446564303&amp;platform=browser&amp;postSource=in%7C60c798f67e6e651bfb1b33ee&amp;postTag=thebusiinsi-20&amp;sc=false&amp;type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0446564303%3Ftag%3Dthebusiinsi-20&amp;tag=insider-safetynet-20&amp;sessionid=1623931196026t-20&amp;sessionid=1623931196026">Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love,</a>" for years "Fatherhood" lingered in development hell (at one time Channing Tatum was attached to play the lead) until Hart got his hands on the script in 2019.</p><p>The film, where Hart is also a producer through his own HartBeat Productions, marks his first major plunge into dramatic acting.</p><p>Hart plans to follow this up with another dramatic work for Netflix, the HartBeat-produced limited series, "True Story," in which he plays a fictional version of himself: a Philadelphia-born comic whose relationship with his troubled older brother (played by Wesley Snipes) could destroy the career he's trying to build.</p><p>No release date has been announced yet for the series.</p>

Kevin Hart says Barack Obama got involved with Netflix's 'Fatherhood' because its shows a 'Black man being a good father'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="785198" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Brooklyn-Nets">Brooklyn Nets</keyword> guard <keyword id="581561" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="James-Harden">James Harden</keyword> exchanged email with Insider about partnering with <keyword id="11285466" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="therabody">Therabody</keyword> as an athlete ambassador this week after an earlier investment in the company.</li><li>Harden discussed his investment and new role in the tech wellness company, and detailed how Therabody therapies factor into his preparation for the <keyword id="630356" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="NBA-Playoffs">NBA playoffs</keyword>.</li></ul><p>Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden partnered with the tech wellness company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theragun.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Therabody</a> this week as an "athlete ambassador," he announced in part in an email interview with Insider.</p><p>In February, Harden's 13 Endeavors made an investment in Therabody along with a group of more than 100 names in <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword>, business, and entertainment. Other investors included Jay-Z, Aaron Rodgers' growth equity fund Rx3 Growth Partners, Kevin Hart's Hartbeat Ventures, and Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman's Thirty Five Ventures.</p><p>In an email exchange with Insider, Harden discussed his investment and new role in the company, and detailed his history of using Therabody's percussive massage therapy devices in performance recovery, including in his preparation for the 2021 <keyword id="6361805" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="NBA">NBA</keyword> playoffs. </p><p><strong>How did you view Therabody as an investment going into it, in February?</strong></p><p>I had used Therabody products before I became an investor, so I had knowledge of the brand going in, which spurred my investment. I was first introduced to Theragun when I was in Houston. I am lucky enough to have been taught the importance of taking care of my body by world-class trainers and I have had access to incredible technologies, like Theragun, since their inception.</p><p>But I don't think these products or technologies should be just for the professional athlete, and Therabody is aligned in that. I loved that Theragun rebranded into Therabody last year and expanded the products and services they offer- they are really setting out to break down barriers in the wellness space. Therabody is a brand I truly believe in- like all of my investments. There is so much more to come for them, and I'm excited to be a part of that growth.</p><div type="image" title="James Harden" height="2624" width="3936" msid="82770147" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>What do you see yourself bringing to this ambassador partnership? What made this the move for you at this time?</strong></p><p>I don't do anything without putting my all into it. I invested in Therabody because I believe in what they are setting out to do. I'm becoming an ambassador and taking the partnership to the next level because I want more people to understand what their products can do for them. I think specifically within the last year, people are more aware than ever about how they are treating their bodies and what it needs to feel its best- mentally and physically. Everyone deserves self-care, and by partnering with Therabody, I hope I'll show the world how accessible it is to proactively take care of the mind and body.</p><div type="image" title="James Harden" height="2624" width="3936" msid="82770151" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>How does the Therabody therapeutic element factor into your preparation for the playoffs here, if it does? What does it involve for you?</strong></p><p>Throughout the years, I've learned to be proactive in taking care of my body to feel my best and perform my best during such a long season. Using my Theragun is one of the most important steps in my pregame and postgame routines. Both routines look similar for most games: stretching, listening to music, hydrating, staying focused, and using Theragun. I've also started using Therabody's RecoveryAir pneumatic compression boots, which are amazing at night or on a rest day while playing video games or watching a movie.</p>

James Harden on investing in and partnering with tech wellness company Therabody as an athlete ambassador, and how its therapies factor into his NBA playoff preparation

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Netflix</span></p><p class="caption">Netflix's "Kevin Hart: Irresponsible."</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Kevin Hart released three of his stand-up shows theatrically and made over $63.5 million total at the box office.</li><li>That's a good chunk of change for an art form audiences rarely want to see in a movie theater.</li><li>But Hart has pivoted and will now release his stand-up specials on Netflix.</li><li>"It's a better deal because it's more global," Hart told Business Insider. "With me trying to get to a space where my movies are having more and more box-office success all over the globe, something that can be in Germany, Spain, and Australia all at the same time, these are all markets that I'm currently frequenting so that was just a smart move."</li><li>And Hart could use the jolt. In the last five years, most of the movies he's starred in earned more domestically than internationally.</li><li>In the movie business right now, a star's true worth to a studio is often what they can draw overseas rather than in the US.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Before becoming a big box-office draw in comedies, Kevin Hart was filling theaters thanks to his stand-up work.</p><p>Hart released three stand-up specials theatrically - "Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain" (2011), "Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain" (2013), and "Kevin Hart: What Now?" (2016) - and they combined to make over $63.5 million. That's not bad for a type of entertainment that is rarely given a theatrical presence.</p><p>"Let Me Explain" was only released on 876 screens its opening weekend, but grossed $10 million. That's a healthy $11,450 per-screen average. It was larger than one of the big blockbusters that opened on the same weekend, "The Lone Ranger," starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp, which had $7,482 per-screen.</p><p>If any studio needed reassurance that Hart could carry a movie, his specials proved it. They were also a big moneymakers for him, as his HartBeat Productions company was behind them.</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong></em>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hulu-us-usage-soared-last-two-years-survey-2019-5"><em>The share of Americans watching Amazon and Hulu has soared in recent months, while other streaming services lag behind</em></a></p><p>But Hart said he's done with theatrically releasing his stand-up. He's now taking his talents to Netflix.</p><p>"It's a better deal because it's more global," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-hart-hartbeat-productions-is-growing-as-a-hitmaker-2019-6">Hart told Business Insider</a> of the decision to do his stand-up on Netflix. "With me trying to get to a space where my movies are having more and more box-office success all over the globe, something that can be in Germany, Spain, and Australia all at the same time, these are all markets that I'm currently frequenting so that was just a smart move."</p><p>Though it's very likely Hart got a sweet deal to make stand-up specials for Netflix, it also makes sense that the actor wants a more global presence.</p><p>In a time in the business when an actor's international box-office draw is often more important to a studio than their domestic one, being on Netflix is a strategic maneuver by Hart to heighten his brand outside of the US. And it could use a jolt. Other than "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" and "The Secret Life of Pets" (which were both ensemble-heavy movies), all the movies starring Hart in the last five years have grossed more domestically than international.</p><p>Hart currently has one special on Netflix, "Kevin Hart: Irresponsible," and says he's working on material for a second (the stand-up specials he released theatrically are also currently available on Netflix).</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-from-blues-clues-today-video-2017-1">'Blue's Clues' is making a comeback with a new look and new host. Here's what the original host, Steve Burns, did after he quit the show.</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

You Searched For "hartbeat productions" and got 6 results

Kevin Hart says Netflix's 'Fatherhood' proves that he 'can do drama' and reveals he's looking for an Austin Powers-like project to star in next

Jason Guerrasio

Kevin Hart sold a $100 million stake in his media company to private equity firm Abry. Here are 10 Hollywood more production shops that are hot M&A targets.

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Inside Kevin Hart's 10-year journey to make his production company into a Hollywood hit maker

Jason Guerrasio

Kevin Hart says Barack Obama got involved with Netflix's 'Fatherhood' because its shows a 'Black man being a good father'

Jason Guerrasio

James Harden on investing in and partnering with tech wellness company Therabody as an athlete ambassador, and how its therapies factor into his NBA playoff preparation

John Lynch

Kevin Hart explains why he ditched movie theaters for his stand-up specials and chose Netflix instead

Jason Guerrasio

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