“It was fun with a simple premise. I wanted it to be entertaining and for us to be compared to some of the great comedy duos. From 48 Hours to Lethal Weapon to Bad Boys, I wanted Ride Along to have the same feel. I’ve been watching Kevin for awhile and I like that his delivery style works for any crowd, Black or White. There are ‘hood comedians and the crossover comedians, and he can cross over easily and connect to a wide audience. That is a good asset; Kevin isn’t one-dimensional”, said the 44-year old who has established himself as a hip-hop artist, record producer, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director, who not only stars in the action-comedy, but is also one of its producers.
Why did Kevin Hart agree to the project?
“First and foremost, it was the opportunity to work with Ice Cube. I have always been a big fan. Then I read the script and it was hilarious. I teamed up with a producer partner and all the pieces of the puzzle came together, so everything was right.”
This is Ice Cube and Kevin Hart talking with JET MAGAZINE in preparation for the release of their new film, Ride Along. They also discuss making the film, mixing business and entertainment, and building their legacies in Hollywood.
Hart, who has established himself as a mainstream comedian and actor, is anticipated to deliver the same “belly-busting” humor fans expect, if not more. However, while known for jokes and laughter, 34-year old Hart is serious about his craft and discusses in detail the sacrifices made during his climb to stardom.
“I took a gamble when I quit my job, which meant putting my all into stand-up comedy,” said Hart. “When you don’t have a backup plan, you work as hard as you can because you know there cannot be a negative outcome, only positivity. When you let go of other things, you help yourself to evolve into great things.”
In theatres Jannuary 17.