Saturday Night Live announced Kevin Hart as the first host of 2015. Hart will take the stage at SNL on Jan. 17 for the second time to promote his two newest projects: the upcoming film "The Wedding Ringer" and newly released the Chris Rock comedy "Top Five."

It is huge deal for Hart to return as SNL host a second time, especially considering the late-night television comedy and variety show rejected him years ago when he auditioned to be a cast member.

"Not only did I not get (the SNL job), I basically walked out of there feeling like I had no talent," Hart told USA Today on the red carpet for "The Wedding Ringer." "Little to my knowledge, years come afterwards, and I'm in a position to host SNL and tell that story. Everything happens for a reason, that's the moral to that story."

When Hart appeared on the show the first time, he talked about the failed audition in the monologue, "Back in the day, I actually auditioned for SNL. True story, people. I didn't get it. No, they passed on me... It's so long ago, you shouldn't think about it. You're talking about something that happened 67 months ago, 22 days, like 6 hours... It's fine, I'm over it."

Hart's career exemplifies that persistence pays off. In 2000, his early standup performances sometimes ended with him being booed off stage. He worked hard to develop a unique comedic style and soon found success through comedy competitions.

Hart's popularity grew over the years through his comedy tours. His 2011 tour "Laugh at My Pain" earned over $15 million, making it one of the year's top-selling tours.

A 2013 television special "Let Me Explain" made Hart a household name. He also appeared in movies like "Ride Along," "Think Like a Man Too," and "Top Five," among others.

"The Wedding Ringer" hits theaters Jan. 16.